John Stones is grateful to have lived out all his wildest dreams during his 10-year stay with Manchester City, which will come to an end after Sunday's meeting with Aston Villa.
Having joined City from Everton in a £50m deal back in 2016, as one of Pep Guardiola's first signings, Stones has played a key role in the club's most successful period.
Stones has played a part in 17 of City's 20 trophy successes under Guardiola, including winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.
The 31-year-old defender has struggled with injuries in recent years, though, and will leave on a free transfer ahead of 2026-27, alongside fellow City stalwart Bernardo Silva.
If reports are to be believed, City could also be saying goodbye to Guardiola, with the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss rumoured to have made a decision on his future.
Stones' 179 Premier League appearances for City put him joint-17th in their all-time charts, though he will surpass Micah Richards outright if he plays against Villa.
In a farewell interview with City's media channels, Stones said: "I honestly could never have dreamt of doing the things that I've done or to the magnitude of what we've done and how we've done it.
"If you'd said to me before I came here, 'you're going to do all these things', I wouldn't even have thought half would be possible.
"It's been a rollercoaster. You can look at it like that, and everything has ups and downs and good things, bad things.
"But to live out all my dreams and all my goals and all the things that I set out to achieve as a player and live as a player... doing that has just been a dream.
"The memories that I've got with absolutely everyone, not just the players, the staff, the fans, the guys that we all see on a daily basis. It's not sunk in yet, but when I leave I think it will and it'll hit me."
City have nothing to play for after Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth handed the title to Arsenal, while Villa are basking in Wednesday's 3-0 Europa League final win over Freiburg.
Unai Emery's team will finish either fourth or fifth in the table, and while they are already assured of Champions League qualification, their position could prove crucial for whichever of Bournemouth or Brighton finish sixth.
That is because if Villa finish fifth – which is only possible if they lose and Liverpool win at home to Brentford – the sixth-placed team will take the additional Champions League place granted to the Premier League.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester City – Erling Haaland
With 27 goals to his name heading into matchday 38, Haaland is likely to win his third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons in the competition.
He would be the fifth player to win the award that many times, after Thierry Henry, Mohamed Salah (both four), Alan Shearer and Harry Kane (both three).
Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins
Watkins has been involved in eight goals in his last nine Premier League appearances (six goals, two assists), just one fewer than in his first 29 this season (eight goals, one assist).
CjKing
0
FOR THOSE WHO KEEP SAYING PEP SHOULD GO TO A SMALL LEAGUE, TAKE UP A SMALL TEAM AND DO WHAT He's DONE WITH THE BIG TEAMS. HEAR THIS: Pep has got nothing to prove to anyone, not even You. A football maestro remains a football maestro. And that's Pep - A FOOTBALL MAESTRO He did it @ Barca, did it @Bayern, and did it @Mancity: even when english media, and everyone said his system cannever work in english league. Now, it did not only work, but every coach in the epl, even the coaches of England have all ADOPTED HIS SYSTEM. EVERYONE THESE DAYS PLAYS FROM THE BACK. EVERYONE THESE DAYS NEEDS A GOOD PLAYING GOAL KEEPERS. EVERYONE THESE DAYS WORKS WITH NOT JUST A DEFENDER, BUT A DEFENDER GOOD WITH HIS FEET. EVERYONE THESE DAYS HAVE ALL ADOPTED THE PEP STYLE. PEP STYLE IS SEEN IN SCOTTISH LEAGUE, ITALIAN LEAGUE, DEUTCH LEAGUE, GERMAN LEAGUE, FRENCH LEAGUE, EVEN ARABIAN LEAGUE ETC. EVERY COUNTRY THESE DAYS HAVE EMPLOYED PEP STYLE... EVEN YOUR OWN COUNTRY... SO, MY DEAR, PEP HAS GOT NOTHING TO PROOF TO ANYONE, and ANYWHERE. RATHER, EVERYONE HAS GOT EVERYTHING TO PROOF TO HIM, BY CARRYING OUT HIS STYLE WELL WITH THEIR TEAMS... PEP'S PRODIGIES ARE SUCCEEDING EVERY WHERE THEY GO... @BAYERN, @ARSENAL, ETC... THE MAN HAS PROOFED IT ALL... FOOTBALL TODAY IS PEP'S SYSTEM. AND FINALLY: WATCH OUT FOR THIS WORLD CUP 2026, YOU WILL SURELY SEE ALL TEAMS, AND ALL COACHES PLAYING THE PEP WAY... NOTHING MORE... NOTHING LESS..... PEACE!
CjKing
2
Pep, now is ur opportunity to prove that u can lead an average to glory like Jose did. prove n shut me up
SIR, Pep has got nothing to prove to anyone, not even You. A football maestro remains a football maestro. And that's Pep - A FOOTBALL MAESTRO He did it @ Barca, did it @Bayern, and did it @Mancity: even when your kind of people said his system cannever work in english league. Now, it did not only work, but every coach in the epl, even the coaches of England have all ADOPTED HIS SYSTEM. EVERYONE THESE DAYS PLAYS FROM THE BACK. EVERYONE THESE DAYS NEEDS A GOOD PLAYING GOAL KEEPERS. EVERYONE THESE DAYS WORKS WITH NOT JUST A DEFENDER, BUT A DEFENDER GOOD WITH HIS FEET. EVERYONE THESE DAYS HAVE ALL ADOPTED THE PEP STYLE. PEP STYLE IS SEEN IN SCOTTISH LEAGUE, ITALIAN LEAGUE, DEUTCH LEAGUE, GERMAN LEAGUE, FRENCH LEAGUE, EVEN ARABIAN LEAGUE ETC. EVERY COUNTRY THESE DAYS HAVE EMPLOYED PEP STYLE... EVEN YOUR OWN COUNTRY... SO, MY DEAR, PEP HAS GOT NOTHING TO PROOF TO YOU. RATHER, EVERYONE HAS GOT EVERYTHING TO PROOF TO HIM, BY CARRYING OUT HIS STYLE WELL WITH THEIR TEAMS... PEP'S PRODIGIES ARE SUCCEEDING EVERY WHERE THEY GO... @BAYERN, @ARSENAL, ETC... THE MAN HAS PROOFED IT ALL... FOOTBALL TODAY IS PEP'S SYSTEM. NOTHING MORE... NOTHING LESS..... PEACE!
Fetcimpstu
0
Bernando,,RODRI,,Stones ,,PEP Al leaving that’s means CITY WILL FIGHT FOR TOP 4 finish next season,,,
Jabacnostu
1
Mourinho has never taken a non-champion team to champion league glory... Man City have reach final not to talk of winning it. With all the Abramovich's money and reckless spending, Mourinho only reaches semi final. But Pep has established Man City among the biggest teams. You can hate Pep, but you can't snatch away his success and achievements. His 20 trophies in 10 years, can't be matched by any coach. Forget the trophies, the innovation, tactics, tweaking, domination, winning, goals, passes, chance creation and the overall plague and influence on gaming approach by all and sundry is what make Pep unique and finest coach.
GaGa2022
1
Pep, now is ur opportunity to prove that u can lead an average to glory like Jose did. prove n shut me up
ChelseaFan321
0
Chelsea should get him