Matheus Nunes and Savinho react to John Stones’ message ahead of Man City swansong
John Stones will look to play a prominent role in Manchester City’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign after an injury-hit season.
Pep Guardiola‘s side went trophyless in 2024–25 for the first time since the Spaniard’s maiden season at the Etihad Stadium in 2016–17, but Man City still have a chance to lift silverware in the USA this summer.
The revamped Club World Cup will pit City against 31 sides from across the globe, and Football Insider revealed on 11 June that City could collect up to £90million in prize money if they win the tournament.
City’s lengthy 57-game season is therefore set to continue when they face Tunisian side Wydad AC in their first match on 18 June, before further meetings with the UAE’s Al-Ain and Italian giants Juventus.
Stones set for Man City role after season to forget
Although arguments against the new Club World Cup format have pointed to its position in the calendar and a lack of adequate rest for its participants, Stones is one player who had no such burnout last term.
Limited to 20 appearances in all competitions and just 13 starts due to separate foot and hamstring injuries throughout the 2024–25 campaign, Stones has fallen well down the pecking order at the Etihad.
Stones has been linked with a move away from Man City after nine seasons at the heart of several title-winning defences, but posted on Instagram (15 June) as City arrived in the US for the Club World Cup.
The defender’s post included a US flag and location marker from City’s training base in Miami, as team-mates Savinho and Matheus Nunes commented below with a ‘fire’ emoji and the message; “What a player”, respectively.
Club World Cup to act as Stones swansong at Man City
Man City have wasted no time whatsoever in rebuilding Guardiola’s squad after their first trophyless season since 2017, with four new players through the doors already and several names likely to depart.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders are look likely to debut at the Club World Cup, while Jack Grealish and James McAtee appear set for the exit door after being left out of City’s squad.
Stones did travel across the Atlantic alongside his team-mates, but with a return to former club Everton on the cards this summer, it remains to be seen if the Club World Cup could be the last competition in which he features for City.