John Stones Signs Fresh Five-Year Deal at Man City

John Stones of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their sides third goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Manchester, England.

Manchester City star John Stones has signed a five-year contract extension at the Etihad Stadium, according to reports.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2020/21 campaign for the Premier League champions, as he forged a formidable partnership alongside Rúben Dias at the heart of defence.

Just over a year on from being linked with an exit, Stones, who was entering the final year of his contract at City, has very and truly cemented his spot in the starting XI after a season filled with imperious defensive displays that proved to be the bedrock of Pep Guardiola's side during the previous campaign.

Though the Champions League finalists are pursuing a big-money move for Harry Kane after signing Jack Grealish from Aston Villa this summer, the Etihad hierarchy are keen to secure the future(s) of some of the core members of the squad, with Ederson and Phil Foden also in line to extend their stay in east Manchester.

As reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic, Stones has extended his stay at City till at least 2026 on renewed terms, with the former Everton man set to earn £250,000-per-week, which puts him amongst the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Harry Maguire as the one of best-paid defenders in the Premier League.



City had identified the end of June as a deadline to renew his stay at the club, otherwise the club would have considered other options should Stones have decided to start a new chapter in his career. 

It is worth noting that while no formal bids for the defender were submitted to City, Stones refused to consider offers from other clubs.

Making his presence felt on both sides of the pitch, Stones has well and truly overcome his shortcomings of previous campaigns, with Guardiola often singing his praises while highlighting the progress he's made over the past year.

The Barnsley-born defender has previously admitted being short on confidence when he had slipped down the pecking order at City, which affected his displays in training and saw him linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium.

It has been revealed that the England international, who formed a key part of the Three Lions' backline on their route to the final of the European Championships this summer, has developed into a key, senior member in the City dressing room.



The Etihad hierarchy have been dazzled by Stones' return to his best since November, with a fair share of credit due to Dias, who solidified the Sky Blues' defence since his arrival to the club from Benfica last summer.

As he reaches the prime of his career, Stones has established his status as one of the finest and most in-form central defenders across Europe, with a range of medals under the one of the best managers ever to show for it.

Post a Comment

What do you think?

Previous Post Next Post