FC Bayern Munich is reportedly contemplating a sensational move in the transfer market.
According to the English publication Daily Mail, FC Bayern Munich is apparently considering the signing of John Stones from Manchester City.
The contract of the 31-year-old center-back expires at the end of June and will not be extended. His departure from the Sky Blues has already been confirmed, meaning Stones would be available on a free transfer. In what the Daily Mail is calling a ‘shock transfer’ scenario, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany could play a crucial role, having played alongside Stones during his time at City. Furthermore, Harry Kane, a long-time teammate and captain of Stones in the English national team, is already under contract in Munich.
Rumors first emerged in February that the German record champions had made contact with Stones.
John Stones Limited to Bench Role at Manchester City Towards the End
Stones, an 87-time capped English international, was a pivotal figure in City’s successful era, winning the Premier League six times between 2016 and 2026, the FA Cup twice, and the Champions League in 2023. However, in the 2025/26 season, he was hampered by injuries under Pep Guardiola, only featuring sporadically and playing a total of just 17 games.
A place in the center of defense would also be highly unlikely at FC Bayern. With Dayot Upamecano, whose contract was recently extended until 2030, and Jonathan Tah, the record champions already have a well-established starting duo. However, the personnel situation behind them is somewhat thinner: Min-Jae Kim has long been considered a potential sale candidate, but there are no concrete developments. Hiroki Ito is repeatedly sidelined due to his susceptibility to injuries and is therefore not a reliable option. He too would likely leave Bayern if a suitable offer arises. The central defense is supplemented by the versatile Josip Stanisic, who can also play in the center, but established himself particularly as a right and left-back in the past season.
Recently, rumors have surfaced that Stones’ teammate Josko Gvardiol is pushing for a departure from ManCity in the summer and would be open to a move to FCB. At least, that’s what Sport1 reported on Tuesday evening. Gvardiol is said to be a ‘big fan’ of the German record champions and has been on FCB’s radar multiple times. Unlike a Stones signing, a move for Gvardiol would be extremely costly. Conversely, Gvardiol could also operate as a left-back. Since Alphonso Davies has been far from his best form and has repeatedly suffered serious muscle injuries following his cruciate ligament tear, this position at Bayern is also likely no longer set in stone.
John Stones: Statistics in the 2025/26 Season
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Minutes Played | 1,066 |