Soccer
Who will win the race for England hero Stones?
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Despite England's disappointing exit at the 2026 World Cup, when Thomas Tuchel's side capitulated against Argentina, there were many heroes in the Three Lions' campaign.
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham took the headlines, while Djed Spence's stock has never been higher, but at the heart of the defence, John Stones proved once again what an underlauded stalwart he has been for his country.
It was the defender's third World Cup for the national team, and although no longer an automatic first choice, he showed that when called upon he is still as reliable as ever.
Stones now heads into the new domestic season without a club following the end of his contract at Manchester City, so who is best placed to snap up the 32-year-old?
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A quick fix
The news that William Saliba faces an 'extended period' of time out with injury for Arsenal presents a conundrum for the Premier League champions.
They won't want to spend big on a first-choice defender knowing full well that Saliba and Gabriel are the club's number one centre-back pairing, so it needs to be a name who would go in knowing his place.
Of course, there will be plenty of players who'd want to move to the Emirates and be part of a trophy-chasing squad, but Stones does give them an option that ticks most boxes.
If he can stay injury-free, they'll have an experienced Premier League defender who could slot straight in, on the same side of the defence that Saliba has left vacant following his World Cup knock.
Stones only managed 9 league games for City last term, but 18 in all, and although he was missing through injury for portions of the season, Pep Guardiola obviously preferred to limit his minutes as well.
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An experienced head
What he does bring, regardless of probably no longer being able to play 38 games a season, is a wealth of top-flight nous and a winning mentality - something that would benefit Arsenal's London rivals, Chelsea.
Stones isn't the standard profile that Chelsea normally looks for when recruiting, but that may make him the ideal option.
One of the Blues' biggest issues last season was the lack of leadership, especially in defence, where they have a crop of talented young players but have missed an experienced head ever since Thiago Silva left.
The England man would give them exactly that for free, where he could nurture the likes of Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo and Jorrel Hato into fulfilling their immense potential.
His ability to play out from the back and in midfield suits new manager Xabi Alonso's way of playing with possession-based defensive intensity. In Stones, they would have a defender who has failed to register a pass completion rate of over 90% in only one of his ten seasons.
Perhaps no surprise in a Guardiola side, but it is a style that Stones has always had as part of his make-up.
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Defender first
However, the man who has been capped 94 times for his country is obviously a defender first, and a club that suffered in that department last season was Liverpool.
Their meek defence of the Premier League title can be attributed to many factors, but an underperforming backline is a major part of Arne Slot's downfall.
It was a defence desperately in need of the kind of calm, experienced assurance that Stones can still bring. Sure, they have Virgil van Dijk, but he can't be expected to do it all on his own and, by his own standards, showed a drop in form over 2025-26.
Indeed, he was part of a unit that conceded nine goals after the 90-minute mark during the campaign, as the Reds relied too heavily on Van Dijk and lacked suitable alternatives to his out-of-form partners.
The Merseysiders have since signed young French defender Jeremy Jaquet and are now under the watch of Andoni Iraola, but recruiting Stones could be a shrewd move.
The right-sided Stones would slot perfectly alongside Van Dijk, who occupies the left, and give Liverpool another credible option as they look to win back their championship crown.
Whatever the case and whoever is in the chase, the defender is bound to have plenty of options after making a small point during his performances in North America.
As a player who has consistently gone about his job for the best part of a decade without ever getting the flowers he deserves, Stones deserves one final moment in the Premier League sun.
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