Guardiola Delays Over Stones’ Man City Future Uncertain Amid Injury Setbacks

‎Pep Guardiola has said that John Stones’s future at Manchester City will depend on his ability to stay fit.

‎The defender’s contract expires this summer, leaving the club to decide whether to offer him a new deal after a series of injuries. The 31-year-old revealed he even considered retirement last season following persistent fitness issues.

‎Those problems limited him to just 11 Premier League appearances and kept him out for the final three months with a hamstring injury.

‎Although Stones has been an unused substitute in City’s last two league games, he hopes to return to the starting lineup against his former club, Everton, on Saturday after playing twice for England during the international break.

‎“The club will decide what is best for John, we will see how he performs,” Guardiola said.

‎“When John is fit, he is part of the group, the starting XI and the year of the treble [he] was unbelievable but since then he has not had the consistency in [number of] games. He’s been injured many times, so that’s why we have to wait and see.”

‎Guardiola has stressed the need for players who can play three times a week, which helped justify Kevin De Bruyne’s departure in the summer.

‎Asked if Stones’ injury problems are behind him, Guardiola said, “I hope so. I’m happy that he’s back [with England] and the confidence from Thomas [Tuchel] in him.

‎”There’s no doubt about his potential and his quality. I’m happy he played with his country.”

‎Guardiola will be without midfielder Rodri on Saturday after he picked up an injury against Brentford.

‎However, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush could return to the squad. John Stones will not come up against his former teammate Jack Grealish, who is on loan at Everton and ineligible to face his parent club.

‎City possesses the in-form Erling Haaland, who has scored 12 goals in nine games for his club this season. Would Guardiola be confident of finding a way to stop him?

‎“Yeah, of course. Four central defenders,” he joked.

‎“I had the pleasure to face him when he was in Dortmund and hopefully I’m not going to face him again the rest of my life.

‎“He’s a top-class player; in world football, there are four, five, six, 10 unbelievable players. They make a difference. Erling is one of them.

‎”I will have him, hopefully, for many years, and I’m really pleased about that.”