Inter are nearing an agreement to bring in John Stones on a free transfer after the 32-year-old centre-back departed Manchester City in June.
Both Inter and their Italian rivals Juventus showed interest in Stones before the World Cup, but the Nerazzurri have since emerged as favourites to secure his signature following his strong performances during England’s journey to the semi-finals.
Stones featured 13 times for City last season before suffering an injury in December. Although he returned after two months and remained fit, Pep Guardiola, City’s manager at the time, selected him on only five further occasions.
During the World Cup, Stones started Thomas Tuchel’s opening match against Croatia. He remained on the bench against Ghana and Panama, then appeared as a substitute in the knockout-stage victories over the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mexico. He returned to the starting lineup for the quarter-final win against Norway and the 2-1 semi-final loss to Argentina.
Near the end of last season, Stones made clear that he remained determined to compete at the highest level. “I believe I still have plenty to offer a club, and physically I feel I am in a strong place,” he said. “There are still many goals I want to pursue in my career, and taking on a different challenge would be exciting. I am considering every possibility. I can use the experience I have gained here and perhaps share it with others.”
Although Inter believe they can complete the signing, the proposed move may still fall through if a suitable Premier League side decides to enter the race.
William Saliba is expected to be unavailable to Arsenal for a considerable spell because of a back injury, leaving Mikel Arteta in need of additional defensive cover. Chelsea, now managed by Xabi Alonso, are likely to adopt a three-centre-back formation and are therefore looking to recruit at least one defender. However, neither Arsenal nor Chelsea have made an approach for Stones so far.
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