Manchester City's John Stones and Bernardo Silva. (Getty)
Manchester City are bracing themselves for a summer of major change following the end of an era at the Etihad Stadium.
Although City lifted both the FA Cup and EFL Cup this season, losing the Premier League title to Arsenal has triggered significant changes behind the scenes.
Pep Guardiola is set to depart the club and will reportedly be replaced by former assistant Enzo Maresca, while several senior figures are also expected to move on.
Club captain Bernardo Silva is among those heading for the exit door, and City’s hierarchy now face the challenge of rebuilding a squad that dominated English football for years.
Now, another long-serving star could also be nearing the end of his time in Manchester.
Bayern Set to Move for Stones
Bayern Munich are exploring a surprise move for Manchester City defender John Stones this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
The England international, previously described as “incredible” by Guardiola, is attracting serious interest from the Bundesliga champions as Vincent Kompany considers strengthening his defensive options.
A move would see Stones reunite with his former City teammate, while also linking up with England captain Harry Kane in Germany. Bayern are understood to be in a strong position should they decide to push ahead, particularly with the defender potentially available on a free transfer after a decade at the Etihad.
Since arriving from Everton in 2016, Stones has been a crucial part of City’s success, winning multiple Premier League titles, the Champions League and a host of domestic trophies across nearly 300 appearances.
However, injuries have increasingly limited his involvement over the past two seasons, leading to growing uncertainty over his future as City prepare for a squad overhaul under new management.
Everton, Barcelona and Coventry City have all been linked with the 31-year-old in recent months, but the prospect of joining Bayern under Kompany could prove especially attractive as Stones weighs up the next step of his career.
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