Since <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/pep-guardiola/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pep Guardiola</a> joined Manchester City, the team has soared to become one of the best in the world. It has clinched six Premier League titles and added a UEFA Champions League trophy to its accolades. One of its key players, who was instrumental in these successes, recently revealed that he went through a difficult phase with injuries. At just 31 years old, these challenges had once led the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/manchester-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">City</a> star to consider retiring from professional soccer.



“Last season was tough for me, to the point where I thought about stopping… I didn’t want to do it. I had had enough of being so professional and trying to do everything right in my power, to then keep breaking down and not having the answers. It was a very difficult place to be in… My emotions were high. I wasn’t thinking straight. I don’t think deep down I would have ever done it [retired],” <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/john-stones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">John Stones</a> said, via BBC Radio 5 Live.



In the 2024-25 season, John Stones endured foot and thigh injuries, missing 32 games with Manchester City—the highest of his career. At the peak of his career and leading the Citizen’s defense, these setbacks were significant. After a long recovery journey, he has played 6 games in the current season fighting to gain his spot in the starting lineup again.



John Stones, fresh off his return to club action, has earned a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for upcoming matches against Wales and Latvia. Elated about the call-up, Stones expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Some of the best moments of my career have been playing for England. When he (Tuchel) said to me, ‘Do you want to come and be with the boys and continue your training?’ I didn’t hesitate for a second,” via BBC Radio 5 Live.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20251007_WST_595518_John-Stones-1200x675_15aed544.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Manchester City&apos;s John Stones" class="wp-image-595519" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>John Stones of Manchester City in action during the Premier League game.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Can John Stones regain his starting spot at Manchester City after injury return?</h2>



Although John Stones has officially returned to the pitch, his place as a starter in the lineup is no longer guaranteed. Pep Guardiola has opted for Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol as his center-back pairing, relegating the English defender to a secondary role as right-back or backup center back. However, Manchester City have not seen the desired results early in the season, so a shift that includes Stones as starter remains a possibility.


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In Pep Guardiola’s system, no player holds a permanent spot in Manchester City’s starting eleven. Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic and even Bernardo Silva frequently rotate in the lineup, showing Guardiola’s tactical flexibility. This approach keeps the door open for Stones, whose versatility allows him to play as a right back or defensive midfielder. His adaptability could earn him significant playing time as he seeks to reclaim a more prominent role.

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Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City player makes shocking confession amid injury problems: ‘I thought about stopping’

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Manchester City defender John Stones has proclaimed that he is ready to fill the void in midfield left by the injured Rodri. The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/spain-national-team-tv-schedule/">Spain</a> international was recently forced off of the pitch during a contentious matchup with Arsenal. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-city-tv-schedule/">City</a> officials then took their time to reveal the extent of the setback. 



Nevertheless, manager Pep Guardiola <a href="https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/newcastle-united-v-manchester-city-pep-guardiola-injury-update-63863036" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">informed the press</a> on Friday that Rodri suffered a serious ACL injury. As a result, the superstar midfielder will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season. Rodri only managed to feature in three total matches during the current campaign before the injury.



Rodri is undoubtedly one of the most important players in the entire City team. Erling Haaland rightly gets most of the praise, but the Spaniard is arguably just as crucial to the team’s success. For instance, City has not lost a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> match in which Rodri has started since February 2023. On the other side, all three of the club’s English top-flight losses last season came when the midfielder was out with suspension.



<h2>Stones has recent experience stepping into midfield</h2>



Guardiola opted for a midfield pairing of Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis in his team’s first Premier League game without Rodri. City ended up drawing with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/newcastle-united-tv-schedule/">Newcastle</a> on the day. Despite this, Stones was recently asked by reporters if he could help replace the injured superstar in the midfield. “Yeah, if called upon, 100%,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/sep/30/john-stones-100-ready-to-take-rodris-midfield-spot-in-manchester-city-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">replied</a> the England international.



Although a typical defender, Stones has previously stepped into midfield at times under Guardiola. This was the case in two of last season’s Premier League losses while Rodri was suspended. The manager, however, also opted to select both Stones and Rodri together in the middle of the pitch several other times as well.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20241001_WST_532805_Rodri-ACL-1-1200x675_f9457fe0.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-532858" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Rodri-ACL-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Rodri-ACL-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Rodri-ACL-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Rodri-ACL-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Rodri-ACL-1.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



“I love it – it’s a ­different [way of looking] on the game,” Stones said about playing in midfield. “[I have] appreciation for players who have played there, understanding the game, learning from a defender’s point of view, when to receive and pass the ball.”



“I always enjoy it and try every time I go in there. The manager puts us there for a reason, and it’s about going out there and doing a job. It happened a lot over the last two years – me going into midfield. In the [2023] Champions League final, I was a bit higher up [the field] – that was new for me. Something I enjoyed.”



<h2>If he excels in the role, Stones would save City serious cash</h2>



Immediately following the unfortunate news regarding Rodri, Guardiola answered questions about replacing the star. The manager asserted that losing the fellow Spaniard is a massive hole to fill. He also claimed that the club will wait and see what to do in the January transfer market.



For now, Guardiola will go with a combination of Stones, Kovacic, Lewis, and possibly Matheus Nunes in the roles. This means that the quartet will get a chance to impress for the time being. With Stones currently behind Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, and Josko Gvardiol in central defense, his best option for playing time could come in midfield.



A stellar display from Stones in the middle of the pitch could end up saving City some serious money. Following the Rodri injury, the club expressed interest in multiple midfielders. This list includes pricey players such as Martin Zubimendi, Nicolo Barella, and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/atalanta-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Atalanta</a> star Ederson. All three of these players would likely cost any club over $60 million.



PHOTOS: IMAGO.

Stones ready to save Man City money by filling Rodri role

Manchester City defender John Stones has proclaimed that he is ready to fill the void in midfield left by the injured Rodri.

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