John Stones was born in Barnsley and he came up through the youth ranks of the local club before making his senior debut for the Tykes.

His first appearance came as a substitute during a 4-0 defeat to Reading in March 2012. He then made his first start five months later in a League Cup tie against Rochdale; a game in which he also scored his first professional goal.

Stones spent the first half of the 2012/13 season in Barnsley’s first team before he was snapped up by Everton for £3m.

The centre-back’s time at Everton

Stones did not feature for the club’s senior team during his first six months on Merseyside, with his debut having to wait until the start of the following campaign.

The defender played his first game for the Toffees in a League Cup tie versus Stevenage in August 2013 before featuring in the Premier League for the first time against Chelsea a couple of weeks later.

During the 2013/14 season, Stones would begin to establish himself as a first-team player, and he would cement his position as a regular starter over the next two years.

Stones’ career with Manchester City

Having demonstrated his abilities as a modern-day centre-half, playing out from the back, it was not a surprise when Pep Guardiola brought him to the Etihad at the start of his reign in August 2016.

Stones cost an initial £47.5m, with another £2.5m in add-ons, making him the second most expensive defender in history at the time.

While it did take him a while to find his feet in Manchester, the England international eventually became a key player under Guardiola, although he has spent more time on the sidelines than he would have liked with injuries.

Stones is now in his 9th season with City, having made 274 appearances to date. Although he has been used mostly as a centre-back, his ability on the ball means Guardiola has deployed him as a right-back and even on occasion in central midfield.

Career Achievements

• He has won 15 major honours with City, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two Carabao Cups, two Community Shields, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
• Stones has been named in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions (2020/21 and 2022/23).
• He was named in the Champions League Team of the Season in 2022/23 after City won the competition.
• Stones has also been named in FIFPRO’s Men’s World XI for the year 2023.

Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here