John Stones gives verbal approval to Inter: Milan club closes in on major free-transfer signing
MILAN – John Stones has verbally accepted Inter's proposal and moved closer to joining the reigning Italian champions, Sky Sport Italia reported on 27 July. The English defender is available on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract with Manchester City, and the two parties are now working to formalise a two-year deal. The move has not yet been completed: a final agreement on the documentation, a medical examination and the signing remain outstanding, while Inter cannot consider the transfer complete until an official announcement is made.
According to information from Sky Sport Italia, the 32-year-old Stones has given his verbal approval to a move to Milan, and the proposed contract would run for two seasons. The same source states that his annual salary is expected to be around four million euros, but that financial detail has not been officially confirmed by either the club or the player's representatives. Inter have therefore taken an important step in the race for the experienced centre-back, who became a free agent after a decade at Manchester City. As there is no transfer fee, the main costs of the deal relate to salary, potential bonuses and commissions connected with the contract.
Inter's official channels had not published confirmation of Stones's arrival by 28 July. This means the news should be viewed as an advanced stage of negotiations rather than a completed transfer. A verbal agreement in football business indicates that consent has been reached on the key elements, but it does not carry the same legal weight as a signed contract. The situation can change until the player completes his medical examinations, signs the documents and the club registers the contract in accordance with competition regulations.
Inter accelerate negotiations after interest from several major clubs
Inter's management accelerated talks at a time when Stones was being linked with several prominent European clubs. The Guardian reported that Inter and Juventus had shown interest even before the 2026 World Cup, while Arsenal and Chelsea were mentioned as possible destinations after the tournament. However, the same British outlet stressed that the London clubs had not submitted a formal offer by the time of publication. For that reason, the claim that Arsenal and Chelsea have definitively "missed out on the signing" should be treated with caution: Inter are currently leading the race, but the deal has not yet been officially completed.
Juventus considered Stones as one of their defensive options. Gianluca Di Marzio reported in early July that the Turin club were monitoring the England international's situation, although there had been no concrete progress in negotiations at that point. For Inter, the possibility of signing a player with that level of experience without paying a transfer fee was attractive enough to prompt swift action. The player's verbal approval gives the Milan club a clear advantage, but competition is theoretically not completely excluded until the contract is signed.
Inter enter the 2026/27 season as the defending champions of Italy, as also confirmed by the club's official publication of the Serie A schedule. Cristian Chivu's team are expected to open their league campaign against Monza at San Siro during the weekend of 22 and 23 August. Signing an experienced defender before the start of the league season would give the coaching staff additional time to help him adapt to a new dressing room, different defensive demands and the rhythm of Italian football. At the same time, Inter would gain a player accustomed to competing for trophies in domestic leagues and the Champions League.
A free transfer, but not a risk-free one
Stones's status as a free agent makes the entire deal financially attractive. Inter would not have to negotiate with Manchester City or pay a transfer fee because the English defender's contract expired on 30 June 2026. Manchester City officially confirmed back in April that Stones would leave the club at the end of the season, bringing one of the most successful periods of his career to a close. Such transfers often allow clubs to direct funds that would otherwise have been spent on a fee towards salary, bonuses and other contractual obligations.
However, arriving without a transfer fee does not mean that the deal carries no sporting risk. Stones has experienced problems with injuries and consistency of appearances over the past few seasons. According to Manchester City's official statistics, he played 18 matches in all competitions during the 2025/26 season, including nine in the Premier League, four in the Champions League, three in the FA Cup and two in the League Cup. The club states that other defensive combinations were more frequently preferred, while Stones accumulated some of his minutes in cup competitions and wore the captain's armband on several occasions.
The Guardian also reported that an injury in December kept him off the pitch and that he had limited playing time in the closing stages of the club season after recovering. The medical examination will therefore be one of the most important remaining steps. Inter will assess not only his current state of health but also his ability to cope with the demanding schedule of Serie A, European matches and domestic cup competitions. In that respect, a two-year contract represents a relatively controlled framework: the club gains experience without committing itself for an exceptionally long period.
Why Stones suits Inter's style of play
Stones is not a traditional centre-back whose value is limited to defensive duels and aerial play. His greatest strength during his years at Manchester City was his ability to contribute to build-up play, carry the ball out under pressure and take up positions in midfield. In its official review of his career, Manchester City highlights his technique, passing range, reading of the game and tactical adaptability. It was precisely that versatility that allowed Pep Guardiola to use him as a central defender, right-back and hybrid midfielder.
The most famous example of that role came in the 2022/23 season, when City won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League. Stones moved between the defensive line and midfield, helping the team create numerical superiority in possession. He played an important role in City's 1-0 victory over Inter in the Champions League final in Istanbul. Now, three years later, he could join the very club against which he achieved one of the greatest successes of his career.
Such a profile can be particularly valuable to a team that often attacks with a large number of players and expects its centre-backs to provide security in the distribution of the ball. Stones can initiate attacks with short passes, switch play with long balls and step into midfield when the opposition closes the usual channels. His experience in systems with both three and four defenders also increases the number of possible solutions available to the coaching staff. However, his tactical value will only be fully meaningful if he remains physically fit and can play regularly.
A decade of trophies at Manchester City
Stones joined Manchester City from Everton in 2016 as one of the first signings following Guardiola's appointment. According to the club's final statistical review, he made 295 appearances over ten seasons, scored 19 goals, recorded nine assists and took part in 213 victories. Manchester City credits him with a total of 20 trophies. These include six English league titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups, five League Cups, three Community Shields, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
His career in Manchester was not entirely linear. Periods in which he was indispensable alternated with injuries and spells of reduced playing time. In the 2020/21 season, he returned to prominence, was selected in the Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year and helped City win the Premier League and the League Cup. Two years later, he performed one of the key tactical roles in the team that won the treble.
Official club data show that he appeared 34 times in all competitions during the treble-winning season, scored three goals and was selected in the Champions League Team of the Season. The following season, City won another Premier League title, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, but Stones's minutes were again limited by a hip injury and problems during the closing stages of the season. That contrast between an elite level of performance and frequent physical interruptions explains why interest is high, but also why the medical part of the process is particularly important.
The World Cup returned him to the centre of the market
Stones once again showed during the 2026 World Cup that he can perform at the highest level. The Guardian states that he started England's opening match against Croatia, subsequently came on during the knockout stage and was named in the starting line-up for the quarter-final against Norway and the semi-final against Argentina. England reached the closing stages of the tournament, and Stones's performances increased interest among clubs assessing his physical fitness and sporting motivation following his departure from City.
Towards the end of the club season, Stones publicly stated that he believed he still had a great deal to offer at the highest level and that he was attracted by a new challenge. That statement fits with the possibility of his first club engagement outside England. He has spent his senior career to date with Barnsley, Everton and Manchester City, so a move to Milan would represent a major change in both sporting and personal terms. Serie A would offer him a different tactical context, while Inter would provide the opportunity to compete for domestic trophies and play in Europe.
A clearly defined role in the team could also be important for the England international. Competition in Manchester City's defence had become increasingly intense in recent years, and his playing time depended on his health and the coach's tactical decisions. At Inter, he could provide experience in leading the defensive line, composure in possession and knowledge gained in a team that dominated English football for years. On the other hand, it cannot be assumed in advance that he would be guaranteed a place in the starting line-up, especially at a club that already has international defenders at its disposal.
Arsenal and Chelsea remain observers for now
The links between Stones and Arsenal are logical because of his experience in a playing system similar to the one used by Mikel Arteta, Guardiola's former assistant. The Guardian placed the London club's interest in the context of its need for greater defensive depth, but also reported that no formal approach had been made to the player. Chelsea were also mentioned as a possible option because of plans to use a system with three centre-backs. In that case too, no official offer had been confirmed by the time the information was published.
The development of the situation therefore says more about Inter's speed and decisiveness than about the direct rejection of signed offers from Arsenal or Chelsea. According to the available reports, the Milan club were the first to obtain verbal approval for the terms of a two-year contract. Juventus monitored the player but did not previously take the decisive step. Inter took advantage of a moment when Stones was available on the market as a free agent, while his World Cup performances once again underlined his quality.
For Arsenal and Chelsea, missing out on a player of this kind would not necessarily mean the end of their search for a defender. Both clubs have other options on the market and can direct their funds towards younger or more long-term solutions. Stones's profile offers exceptional experience and tactical intelligence, but also raises questions about his physical availability. Inter have evidently assessed that the potential benefit justifies the risk, especially because no transfer fee is involved.
What still needs to be resolved before the official announcement
The next steps are expected to include agreeing on the final wording of the contract, defining bonuses and other obligations, completing medical examinations and signing the deal. Sky Sport Italia reported that the medical examination had not yet been scheduled at the time of its report. This is an important detail because it shows that the negotiations are in their final, but still reversible, stage. Only after all conditions have been fulfilled can Inter announce the player and begin the registration process.
The financial terms also remain unofficial until they are confirmed by the club or credible documents. The figure of around four million euros per season comes from Sky Sport Italia's report and should not be presented as an official club amount. Professional football contracts often include bonuses for appearances, results, trophies and other objectives, meaning the total value may differ from the basic salary. The public rarely receives a complete insight into all contractual provisions.
If the transfer is completed, Stones would become one of Inter's most high-profile signings of the 2026 summer transfer window. Without paying a transfer fee, the club would acquire a player with 295 appearances for Manchester City, 20 trophies and experience of winning the Champions League. For Stones, it would be his first engagement outside English football and an opportunity to continue his career with the team defending the Serie A title. Until official confirmation, however, the most accurate description is that Inter are the leading candidate and that a verbal agreement has been reached, but the transfer has not yet been definitively completed.
Sources:
- Sky Sport Italia – report on Stones's verbal approval, the two-year contract and the remaining steps (link)
- Manchester City FC – official confirmation of Stones's departure after ten seasons at the club (link)
- Manchester City FC – final statistical review of John Stones's appearances, goals and trophies (link)
- The Guardian – context regarding interest from Inter, Juventus, Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as Stones's appearances at the 2026 World Cup (link)
- Gianluca Di Marzio – Juventus's earlier interest and Stones's status as a free agent (link)
- FC Internazionale Milano – official 2026/27 Serie A schedule and Inter's status as defending champions (link)