Arsenal have held talks to sign John Stones following William Saliba’s injury recovery
Arsenal are now holding talks over the signing of former Manchester City defender John Stones, following an update on William Saliba’s back injury.
Stones is available on a free transfer, having left Man City as a club legend at the end of his contract at the end of June, and will arrive at the Emirates Stadium with a wealth of experience.
City have drawn with Liverpool and the Gunners in recent years, and the defender has himself won six Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, a Champions League, a Club World Cup, a UEFA Super Cup and two Community Shields.
The 32-year-old has been one of the most important players of Pep Guardiola’s tenure, making 295 appearances since joining Everton in 2016, but his game time has been limited of late, appearing for just 439 minutes in the Premier League last season due to injury.
However, the former City man was called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup, where he went on to play five games, with an average of 6.0 defensive tackles out of 90 being the third highest in the squad.
After the Three Lions’ semi-final exit, England’s next task will be to find a new club ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, while the Gunners have been ramping up their campaign, after emerging as potential contenders on Sunday.
Arsenal open talks to sign John Stones
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Arsenal have entered into negotiations regarding the deal for Stones, who will have to decide which team he will join after a short break.
Mikel Arteta is keen to bring in a player capable of playing at centre-back and right-back, meaning the England defender could be a suitable option.
The north Londoners’ interest in signing a new defender also stems from Saliba’s back injury, and they are now increasingly concerned that he will be forced to undergo surgery, which could see him out until 2026.
Stones, hailed as “unbelievable” by Tuchel, has missed most of the 2025-26 campaign. However, the experienced defender could fill in for Saliba temporarily, if he can put his injury problems behind him.
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Should Arsenal sign John Stones? |
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Benefits |
Evil |
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You know what it takes to compete and win big trophies |
He has struggled with injuries the past two seasons |
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He has a lot of experience in the Premier League |
He may be in the final stages of his career at the age of 32 |
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It will count towards the home quota |
He earns £250,000-a-week at City so he can demand higher wages |
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You know Arteta when they worked together at Man City |
His arrival could force Ben White, who is four years younger |
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Can play at center back and right back |
It can take time to connect with the fans because of the Man City links |
Another advantage the Gunners have over other suitors is that Stones is represented by ‘The TEAM’ agency, which also represents Arteta, which could create a smooth way of negotiations without the team-to-team negotiations required due to his status as a free agent.
