OFFICIAL: Stones joins Inter on free transfer, signs until June 2028

English defender John Stones has joined Inter on a free transfer.

Inter Announcement:

There's a point in north-central England where the roads connecting London, Sheffield, and Leeds intersect: there, in 1086, amidst expanses of greenery and cultivated fields, the first traces of a town called Barnsley appear. A village that initially numbered just two hundred souls, it grew over the centuries into a metropolitan area with over 200,000 inhabitants. This growth was driven by the commercial activities that began around 1200, when every Wednesday merchants gathered in the streets to sell their wares.

John Stones was born in Barnsley on May 28, 1994. Growing up in Thurlstone, in the greater city, Stones began kicking a ball around as a child with his father and friends. It was his father who suggested he try out for a local team, Penistone Church, which trained every Wednesday evening at a small sports center in the area. A curious coincidence, then, meant that a pivotal day in the city's development coincided with his joining his first team. John took his first steps in the world of football at the age of seven, later joining the Barnsley youth team, where he was spotted playing as a striker in an amateur Sunday League match.

His training and physical growth led him to move back until he found a spot in central defense, where he stood out for his ability with the ball and his ability to create plays. When the opportunity to join Leeds arose, however, Stones chose to stay at Barnsley: the bond with his family, friends, and the city was too strong; any time was a good time to be at the park, building makeshift goals, and rolling the ball across the grass. He just wanted to play, grow, and have fun.

He wasn't yet 18 when he made his Championship debut for Barnsley on March 17, 2012: his first dream came true, that of making his professional debut with his hometown team. It was the first step on a journey that would see him move to Merseyside almost two years later, when he arrived in the Premier League with Everton. Coincidentally, his debut for the Toffees also came on a Wednesday, August 28, 2013, in the League Cup second round against Stevenage. His Premier League debut also came on a Wednesday: January 1, 2014, and Everton drew 1-1 at Stoke City. His growth was exponential, and in his three seasons with the Toffees he established himself as one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in English football, even making his senior international debut on 30 May 2014, two days after his twentieth birthday, in a friendly against Peru.

On August 9, 2016, his career took a decisive turn with his move to Manchester City. The city changed, the blue on his shirt changed, his goals changed, and his stature changed. Stones developed under Pep Guardiola and established himself as a modern, intelligent defender, skilled at building on the ball, capable of reading space and anticipating opponents, and powerful in aerial duels both in his own penalty area and in the opposition's. He also provided iconic moments such as his incredible goal-line clearance in a 2019 match against Liverpool, which ultimately proved decisive in the league title. Over his years in Manchester, Stones became a cornerstone of a spectacular and successful City side, capable of winning six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups, three Community Shields, a Champions League, a European Super Cup, and a Club World Cup. A journey that led him to experience unforgettable moments, to win numerous trophies, a journey that made him a symbol of City after 295 official appearances and 19 goals, and which allowed him, as he himself stated, to live out his wildest dreams.

His consistency, solidity, and defensive reliability have also made him a key figure in the England national team, with whom he has collected 94 caps and has been a key player in major tournaments, reaching the European Championship final twice in 2021 and 2024 and being among the four semi-finalists at a World Cup on two occasions: in 2018, his England team finished fourth after losing to Croatia in the semi-final, while in 2026, they finished the World Cup with the bronze medal after beating France in the third-place play-off.

After 32 years in England, John Stones is ready for a new experience. Italy, Milan: a new environment, a new championship to tackle with the vast experience he's gained throughout his career. For the first time, the jersey he'll wear will no longer be just blue, but also black. From the fields of Barnsley to the pitch at San Siro, after making history in Manchester: John Stones is a new Inter player.