Juventus have made contact with John Stones as the club explore their options in central defence, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The England international is currently a free agent following the expiry of his contract at Manchester City, where he spent ten seasons and made almost 300 appearances — and the bianconeri are working to establish whether a deal is achievable before rival clubs move ahead of them.
A World Cup Appearance That Kept Him in the Spotlight
Stones returned from the World Cup having represented England in five matches — a tournament that kept him fit, visible, and very much part of the conversation around Europe’s best available defenders. At 32, the concerns around his injury record are real and well documented — his availability over recent seasons at City has been frequently disrupted by muscular problems. But when fit, he remains a centre-back of elite technical quality, entirely comfortable in possession and capable of the kind of intelligent, positional defensive play that Spalletti demands from his backline.
Competition Is Real — and Moving Fast
Juventus are not alone. Several Premier League clubs have shown interest in Stones, with his familiarity with the English top flight and his domestic profile making him an attractive proposition for clubs looking to strengthen with minimal transfer cost. Inter have also been linked, though the Nerazzurri are yet to make a concrete move.
In that context, Juventus’s decision to initiate contact is a preemptive one — an attempt to get ahead of the queue before a formal auction develops. A free transfer, at zero acquisition cost, fits the Carnevali philosophy perfectly. The variable, as always with Stones, is wages and the question of whether his injury history can be trusted to deliver enough appearances to justify the investment.
Where He Fits in the Defensive Picture
The Stones contact sits within a broader defensive picture at Juventus that remains unresolved. Gleison Bremer’s future is being discussed with Galatasaray, Federico Gatti is attracting interest from Napoli, and Lloyd Kelly is potentially available. A left-footed option — Lucumí or Todibo — remains on the agenda, whilst Stones would address the right side of the defensive pairing with the kind of Premier League-proven, ball-playing quality Spalletti has consistently sought. For a club that now owns only today’s problem and must solve it this summer, Stones is one of the more intriguing free-agent possibilities on the market.
