The future of England captain John Stones appears to be heading to Inter Milan after a protracted transfer saga from Manchester City. The defender's availability as a free agent is in the final phases, following the expiry of his contract with the recently crowned Premier League Champions last season. This move seems imminent and will see the 25-year-old move on from England after over a decade at Etihad Stadium, and to a powerful club like Inter Milan.
This deal will not only benefit Antonio Conte's side as a key defensive addition but has also been impacted by Chelsea's attempts to strengthen their ranks. The Blues were expected to make significant moves for defensive reinforcement this summer; they have signed players like Maxence Lacroix and Marco Pellegri, though the latter looks poised to move across from Crystal Palace after his transfer to Stamford Bridge appears to be done.
The final piece of the puzzle that Chelsea has been hoping for, their pursuit of Pep Chevarria is also in progress. The Rayo Vallecano defensive star has not signed yet and it is likely he only moves during this summer's transfer window; this will create a shift in tactical approach from Chelsea should they manage to finalize a deal, as the team must replace its outgoing star Marc Cucurella.
Inter's pursuit of Stones coincides a move from Xabi Alonso (Chelsea manager), who aims to shape his squad specifically according to his own vision while also trying to address the significant concerns arising in their back line since the 2021-2022 campaign - and in particular, Chelsea will miss out due to the transfer.
