Sports

Why John Stones is still good enough to be on Arsenal and Chelsea’s radar

Published

14 hours ago

July 26, 2026

When a Premier League and Champions League winner becomes available in the market, and for no transfer fee, why wouldn’t Europe’s top clubs be on high alert?

John Stones is a free agent after 10 seasons with Manchester City, his departure bringing an end to a glittering spell where he lifted 20 major trophies at the club. His mix of experience, leadership and winning mentality is unparalleled. While some potential suitors might have concerns over the 94-cap England international’s long-term fitness, not all teams are deterred by Stones’ injury history.

As The Athletic recently reported, Arsenal are considering bringing the 32-year-old in, while Chelsea have him on a list of centre-backs they are considering.

It might be a stretch to suggest that any club would be looking to recruit Stones to be an immediate regular starter, but the fundamental attributes that he offers are unquestionably coveted — particularly among those teams who are likely to dominate possession in matches.

This is a defender who has just helped England to a World Cup semi-final this summer, providing much-needed composure to Thomas Tuchel’s back line, both on and off the ball.

“I think he is a world-class player; he is an amazing character and a proven winner,” Tuchel said after naming Stones in his World Cup squad. “He knows how to adapt to a winning culture, and adapt tactically on the field. He is still on the highest level when I see him play and move.

“We analysed a lot of his training data, because there is not a lot of proof (in terms of matches played) in the last half of the season, unfortunately, but the good news is that he was available. The bad news is that he was not selected (by City) as much as we hoped for.”

Stones later echoed his manager’s words on his availability, but reservations over his fitness are valid.

He has barely scraped 1,000 league minutes together since the beginning of the 2024-25 season, with his last meaningful impact coming in 2022-23 — where his ball-playing abilities were amplified in a midfield role during City’s treble-winning season.

Casting those doubts aside for this exercise, there are few players in European football with Stones’ ability as a tempo-dictating central defender.

Possession is sacred to his long-time City manager Pep Guardiola, and Stones can be seen as the poster boy for the Spaniard’s style of play — he has a peerless ability to look after the ball. Since 2018-19, no Premier League centre-back (with 900-plus minutes of game time) has logged a higher passing accuracy than Stones’ 94 per cent.

His primary remit has always been to keep things simple, play the ball short, and provide the foundation for his team’s build-up. Of the 232 centre-backs included in the sample mentioned above, only 10 averaged a lower share of passes played long (passes of 35-plus yards) than Stones’ six per cent — and five of those were fellow City players.

The efficacy of Stones’ skill set was brought into sharper focus during that treble-winning season in 2022-23.

As Guardiola sought out a tactical tweak in the spring months of City’s historical campaigns in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, Stones would regularly step into midfield from right centre-back or right-back to support their ball progression.

Here for example, in the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, you can see Stones operating as a central defender in the early stages of build-up…

… but he would regularly stride forward to provide an extra man in midfield that would allow City to operate with a 3-2-5 shape few sides had an answer to.

It shows the degree of tactical intelligence that was required of Stones and was highly regarded by Guardiola, knowing when to step into midfield and time his movement according to the phase of play.

It was during that season’s Champions League final that his hybrid role shone on the biggest stage, as he completed all six of his dribbles on the night against Inter. Famously, the last player to log more on European club football’s biggest stage was Lionel Messi in Barcelona’s 2015 defeat of Juventus.

That confidence to step forward has not been lost, and it was on show this summer.

Against Norway in the quarter-finals, Stones briefly swapped positions with right-back Ezri Konsa to pull into a wider position — receiving the ball in the right channel before underlapping Bukayo Saka and dragging opposition players with him.

It is a simple action, but not one that you would associate with your typical centre-back.

That versatility to occupy different spaces, perform different roles, and play in different positions would be highly regarded by whichever employer lands his signature this summer.

Such is the quality of his attributes in possession that Stones’ defending feels like an adjunct to his core on-ball attributes.

Stylistically, he has rarely been one to go looking for trouble when defending his goal, with 2.5 “true” tackles — denoting tackles plus fouls committed plus challenges lost — per 1,000 opponent touches being among the bottom seven per cent of Premier League centre-backs since 2018-19.

Through wise positioning and sharp defensive awareness, he prefers to wait before engaging — often finding himself in the right place at the right time by using every ounce of his experience.

Facing Erling Haaland in that last-eight clash with Norway, Stones is ultimately left one-v-one with his now former team-mate as the ball is at the feet of Alexander Sorloth.

Haaland has the option to run either side of him to get in behind England’s back line (red arrows), but Stones does not overcommit defensively — using quick footwork to adjust his positioning as he retreats, tracking Haaland’s run before reading the (albeit poor) pass to intercept and clear the potential danger.

Stones can command a penalty area when his side do sit deep, but this ability to defend space when further up the field is more likely to be desired by a possession-dominant team playing with a higher defensive line.

That experience garnered from City’s playing style will give potential suitors confidence that he can replicate those attributes elsewhere.

That is not to underestimate Stones’ ability in the agricultural side of the game, as he offers a strong aerial presence in both boxes. No City player has scored more than his 10 set-piece goals since the start of 2018-19, and a 68 per cent aerial win rate in those eight seasons puts him in the top 10 per cent of centre-backs across the Premier League.

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Physicality is an important aspect in winning such duels, but Stones’ timing is often impeccable in the crucial moments.

When England were forced back in their World Cup semi-final against Argentina, his back-foot defending kept Messi and company at arm’s length for long periods — with his headed clearance against Nicolas Tagliafico averting danger in the second half.

As shown below, Stones’ starting position allows Tagliafico to get goalside as the cross is delivered to the back post by Messi, but his recovery to drop back into his own six-yard box and win the second contact was essential in preventing Argentina from having an effort on goal.

Stones’ leadership and experience are guaranteed traits for any prospective club looking to secure his signature.

More importantly, they would be getting one of the most tactically intelligent centre-backs the European game has seen in the past decade.

Concerns over his fitness record might still linger for some, but his play at the World Cup served as a reminder that Stones does still have plenty left in the tank when it comes to operating at the highest level.

Sports

Yankees place Cody Bellinger on IL, recall Spencer Jones

Published

7 minutes ago

July 26, 2026

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PHILADELPHIA — The New York Yankees officially placed left fielder Cody Bellinger on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a left hamstring strain. The Yankees recalled Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Bellinger’s spot on the roster.

Bellinger exited Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies after injuring his hamstring while rounding first base in the top of the eighth. Bellinger initially remained in the game before he limped to the dugout and into the clubhouse between innings.

Losing Bellinger is a significant blow for the Yankees, whose depth continues to get tested on the position-player side. Bellinger now joins Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list, three players who were seen as cornerstones for the Yankees’ lineup entering the season.

“He’s a huge member of our team and what we do,” Boone said of Bellinger on Saturday. “Just a tremendous all-around player.”

“Bernie Williams is a real one in the smooth-jazz world.”

Bellinger has a 118 wRC+ on the season and 19 defensive runs saved, which is the most among all left fielders in MLB. The Yankees would likely feel his absence most on defense. The drop-off from Bellinger to Jones is steep. Max Schuemann ultimately replaced Bellinger in left field on Saturday, and he is expected to be in the lineup on Sunday against Phillies left-handed starter Cristopher Sánchez.

Jones has yet to play left field this season, but he can play all three outfield positions, even though he is not considered an extraordinary fielder at any position. With Bellinger now shelved, the Yankees could turn to Jones in left field or shift Jasson Domínguez from right field. Domínguez was one of MLB’s worst defenders in left field last season, as he struggled with inconsistent routes and reads. He has looked considerably more comfortable in right field, though he has still graded out negatively.

Offensively, Bellinger hasn’t produced at his usual level since Judge, who hasn’t played since May 31, landed on the injured list. He has posted an 87 wRC+ since June 1, and he has the 20th-worst slugging percentage among all qualified hitters during that span. Bellinger also hasn’t homered since June 17; his 31-game homerless streak is two games shy of his career-long drought. Even amid that slump, Bellinger still represents a stronger offensive option than any of the Yankees’ internal alternatives.

“Obviously, I hit a cold stretch there for a little bit,” Bellinger said. “It was way longer than I ever wanted it to be.”

Bellinger hasn’t been the only problem with the Yankees’ offense since the start of June, though he’s been one of the key issues. New York enters Sunday night’s game with an 89 wRC+ since June 1, tied for the fifth-worst in MLB. Bellinger’s absence may now force Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to prioritize adding an outfielder before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

It’s unclear which outfielders may be available on the market. Boone mentioned that his sense was many clubs were still determining their direction. But some outfielders for the Yankees to consider may include Kansas City’s Lane Thomas, Baltimore’s Taylor Ward, Colorado’s Mickey Moniak and Cincinnati’s JJ Bleday and Spencer Steer.

It’s too early to know if the Yankees’ trade plans will be altered in light of Bellinger missing time. Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham had a minor hamstring injury earlier this season — one in which he was able to run the following day — and he still missed 19 games. Generally, a Grade 1 hamstring strain often sidelines players for several weeks, while more significant strains can require months.

Now that the Yankees know Bellinger will be sidelined, it may force Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to add even more offense to a lineup that has struggled for nearly two months.

Sports

Hungarian Grand Prix: Harry Benjamin’s driver ratings for race at Hungaroring

Published

14 minutes ago

July 26, 2026

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World champion Lando Norris took victory from pole position in Hungary on Sunday to secure his and McLaren’s first grand prix win of 2026.

Norris was passed for the lead by team-mate Oscar Piastri at the start but the Australian later retired from the race with a gearbox failure.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second and title leader Kimi Antonelli claimed the final podium in place in third.

Lewis Hamilton, who was given a three-place grid penalty before the race for impeding Piastri in qualifying, dropped from fourth to fifth at the chequered flag, after he was handed a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

Here are my ratings for how the drivers performed across the whole weekend in Hungary.

Lando Norris – 9.5/10

The complete weekend McLaren and Norris have been waiting for. Pole position, outstanding pace when finally released into clear air and a controlled run to the flag earned him his first grand prix victory of the season, even if losing the lead on lap one was a minor blemish.

Max Verstappen – 8.5/10

Dragged a difficult Red Bull to a result that looked unlikely after qualifying. He battled constant issues with his car throughout the weekend but still put himself in the right position to inherit second when Piastri retired.

Kimi Antonelli – 8/10

A strong damage-limitation drive from Mercedes’ championship leader. His failure to slow sufficiently for yellow flags in qualifying compromised his starting position, but recovering from seventh to the podium and holding off the Ferraris was an impressive response.

Charles Leclerc – 6.5/10

Ferrari looked extremely quick on Friday but Leclerc was unable to turn that promise into a podium. Lost positions to Oscar Piastri and team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the start and finished fifth on the road before Hamilton’s penalty promoted him.

Lewis Hamilton – 6.5/10

The fastest Ferrari driver across the weekend, but two costly penalties undid much of the good work. He missed pole by just 0.012 seconds and raced strongly, yet impeding Piastri in qualifying and speeding in the pit lane turned a potential podium into fifth.

Isack Hadjar – 7.5/10

A quieter weekend from Hadjar. Qualified and finished comfortably inside the points and brought home sixth on a day when his more experienced team-mate demonstrated how difficult the Red Bull was to drive.

George Russell – 7.5/10

An excellent recovery after anti-stall dropped him from sixth to 21st at the start. Qualifying was disrupted by a water leak and his race appeared ruined within seconds, but the Mercedes driver fought his way back to seventh to rescue valuable points.

Liam Lawson – 7.5/10

Admitted he underperformed in qualifying but put that right with a very good race. Used his fresher tyres to pass team-mate Arvid Lindblad late on and led Racing Bulls home in eighth.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8/10

A deserved points finish after reaching Q3 and keeping himself at the front of the midfield battle. Passed Lindblad late on and comfortably outperformed Audi team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto across the weekend.

Arvid Lindblad – 7.5/10

Another strong rookie weekend. Reached Q3 despite missing most of final practice and made an ambitious one-stop strategy work well enough to claim the final point, although Lawson got the better of him.

Sports

Women’s Hundred 2026 highlights: Trent Rockets vs London Spirit

Published

26 minutes ago

July 26, 2026

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Nadine de Klerk hits an unbeaten 41 to guide London Spirit to a thrilling five-wicket victory over Trent Rockets with three balls to spare. The win at Trent Bridge secures Spirit’s first win of their 2026 women’s Hundred campaign and marks the highest successful run chase in the team’s history.

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