Why Arsenal, Chelsea Are Set to Miss Out on John Stones

The London pair have been pipped to the post on this pursuit.

John Stones is taking on a new challenge. | Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images

John Stones is opting for a new challenge entirely, shrugging off Premier League interest from Arsenal and Chelsea to join Italian champions Inter Milan as a free agent.

Stones departed Manchester City at the end of his contract last month. Despite just 18 appearances in all competitions last season, he was named on Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man roster for the World Cup and played a prominent role in England’s journey to the semifinals and a third-place finish.

The 32-year-old shone off the bench during the great round of 16 win against Mexico, as Tuchel’s team resisted the host’s siege with a man disadvantage. Subsequently, he played the entirety of the Three Lions’ quarterfinal victory over Norway, then started the dramatic semifinal defeat to Argentina.

While injuries bothered Stones throughout his City career, he still boasts a résumé comparable to any elite Premier League center back, winning six titles. He proved at the World Cup that he remains at the top of his game when fully healthy, and Inter will regard his arrival as a major coup.

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Stones to Sign Two-Year Inter Contract

Stones played in midfield in the 2023 Champions League final against Inter. | Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

It surprisingly didn’t take a club long for a new team to snap up Stones after this summer’s World Cup, with the astute Inter set to land the veteran England international.

According to Sky Sports, Stones has verbally agreed to join the scudetto winners and will sign a two-year contract before the end of the week.

Inter’s agreement is a blow for Premier League clubs Arsenal and Chelsea, who have both been credited with an interest. Stones, of course, worked with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta while the Spaniard served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City.

Juventus had also joined the race, but Beppe Marotta worked his magic once more to ensure his club struck a deal. Inter’s CEO is a master of the free agent market.

With Italian soccer relatively cash-strapped by Premier League standards, the Nerazzurri—Serie A’s most successful team of the 2020s—have been creative in rejuvenating their roster every summer. In recent years, Inter have signed the likes of Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Piotr Zielinski and Henrikh Mkhitaryan as free agents from domestic rivals AC Milan, Napoli and Roma.

Assuming the transfer is completed, Stones will become just the fourth Englishman to play for Inter after Gerry Hitchens, Paul Ince and Ashley Young. The 32-year-old will be expected to mitigate the defensive departures of veterans Stefan de Vrij and Francesco Acerbi, likely leading Cristian Chivu’s defence from the middle of a center-back three.

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Arsenal Chasing William Saliba Cover After Back Injury

Saliba’s back injury will keep him out of the start of the season. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

At this rate, Arteta will hope just to have 11 able-bodied players available for Arsenal’s opening game of the 2026–27 Premier League season against Coventry City. The Gunners’ pursuit of a league and Champions League double last season took it out of them, with an array of players struggling with fitness over the summer.

Among Arsenal’s chief concerns is William Saliba, who played through back pain at the World Cup before his body finally gave way in France’s semifinal defeat to Spain.

The club confirmed last week that the Frenchman will undergo a “managed recovery program” but doesn’t require surgery. Still, he’s expected to be out of action for an “extended period.”

The update is likely to force Arsenal into the market for a center back, which is why Stones was such an intriguing option. Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa has also been linked. Either way, Cristhian Mosquera will be expected to step up, but defensive cover is running thin.

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