Manchester City’s John Stones withdraws from England camp with injury concern | OneFootball

Manchester City defender John Stones has withdrawn from England’s international camp this week with an injury concern, it has been confirmed.

The setback comes during a turbulent spell for Pep Guardiola’s side, who are already facing mounting problems across the squad. Following their 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Sunday afternoon, City have seen a string of players suffer fitness issues.

Abdukodir Khusanov was substituted with muscular problems, Rayan Aït-Nouri has been left out of Algeria duty to continue his recovery, while youngsters Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly also withdrew from England Under-21 selection.

For Stones, this latest problem is a continuation of the injury frustrations that have caused significant problems to him over the last 18 months in particular. While the 30-year-old remains a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s defensive system, questions persist around his availability as Manchester City attempt to build consistency during a difficult start.

Now, speaking to the press on Friday morning ahead of England’s clash against Andorra on Saturday evening, manager Thomas Tuchel issued an update of concern around Manchester City’s John Stones and the defender’s fitness.

Confirming the player’s exit from the international camp, the German coach said, “Unfortunately, John Stones [has] just left.

“He came with minor muscle issues to camp and didn’t progress the way we thought and hoped he would so he left camp this morning because we will not take the risk against Andorra and also unfortunately against Serbia.”

Manchester City followed up Tuchel’s announcement with a public statement of their own, confirming that their player had withdrawn from the Three Lions’ squad “as a precautionary measure”.

For Manchester City, Stones’ situation adds to a growing list of defensive concerns. Guardiola has largely been reliant on Rúben Dias and the Englishman for consistency at the start of the campaign, but the additional absence of Khusanov and management of Aït-Nouri’s fitness further tests the squad’s depth.

With UEFA Champions League fixtures and high-profile Premier League clashes on the horizon immediately after the ongoing international break, the club will hope Stones’ issue is only precautionary.

Looking ahead, much will depend on how quickly John Stones can recover back at the City Football Academy, where he is expected to undergo further assessments under the club’s medical team.

Pep Guardiola has historically been cautious in rushing his defenders back, especially given Stones’ importance in Manchester City’s hybrid defensive-midfield structure. If his recovery extends beyond the break, it could force Guardiola into reshuffling his backline further, perhaps leaning more on Nathan Ake or Josko Gvardiol.

Either way, with the squad already stretched by absences, John Stones’ withdrawal highlights the challenge Pep Guardiola faces in steering his side back into winning form after a slow start to the campaign.