Man City have identified a £75m “specimen” as John Stones’ replacement; however, he is seeking Champions League football for the upcoming season.

Man City have identified a £75m “specimen” as John Stones’ replacement; however, he is seeking Champions League football for the upcoming season. John Stones is one of the long-standing veterans that Man City may need to replace in the summer.

The 2024/25 season has been a difficult one for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City team, as their squad has aged significantly and almost overnight. Manchester City’s most recent match resulted in a 2-2 draw with Brighton, which secured their position in fifth place on the Premier League chart for the upcoming March international break.

Their next match is a quarter-final match against Bournemouth in the FA Cup. Pep is expected to remove the deadwood from his side, as there are now only nine games between City and what promises to be a quite drastic summer rebuild at the Etihad. While certain names, such as Kevin De Bruyne, appear to be inevitable departures, there may be more challenging decisions to make regarding Ederson, who is expected to depart Manchester City, and John Stones.

Since his transfer from Everton in 2016, the Englishman has been an extremely dedicated member of the Cityzens. However, his injury record has been particularly disappointing in recent years.Man City is considering Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton as the heir to John Stones. However, City may now return to Goodison Park in search of their next Stones, with a potential summer transfer for Jarrad Branthwaite.

Manchester United have maintained their pursuit of the 22-year-old, who has appeared on 22 occasions in the Premier League this season. The club has previously rebuffed their offers, with the Toffees refusing to accept anything less than £75 million. Daily Mail reports that Branthwaite has “drifted off the radar” for United, with Man City and Liverpool now conducting enquiries ahead of the summer transfer window. Branthwaite is “open to leaving” Everton after failing to secure a spot in

Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, and he was referred to as a “specimen” by former Everton manager Sean Dyche. However, the same report also states that Branthwaite “is likely to prioritise Champions League football,” which implies that Pep would require a fourth-place finish to have a chance of signing Branthwaite.Stones is anticipated to be among the Manchester City players that are available for sale ahead of the summer, as has been widely reported for some time.

In fact, there have been reports that Manchester City will sell Stones in the summer. However, it may be challenging to sell him this summer due to his exorbitant wages and the fact that he is under contract for an additional year. This is unless he is sold for a reduced price and agrees to a significant wage reduction. However, Pep recently stated that Stones will be at City next season, at least in theory.

When asked about his centre-back options, Pep stated, “John will be there next season,” which may suggest that he intends to retain the 30-year-old. Branthwaite’s arrival this summer and his subsequent replacement of Stones should he depart as a free agent in 2026 could be a prudent, albeit costly, decision for City. However, additional long-term alternatives are required.