John Stones opens up on overcoming the ‘dark days’ and contemplated RETIREMENT after nightmare season dealing with injuries.
He missed 33 matches in the 2024/25 campaign, not playing since February, but currently feels rejuvenated and is determined to revive his career in his final contract year with Manchester City.
After struggling with mysterious injuries that baffled specialists, the 31-year-old defender, who has only started 18 Premier League games in two seasons, has held in-depth talks with the club’s medical and sports science teams.
He is now committed to changing his off-field habits to extend his playing career.
Stones said, as reported by the Daily Mail: “I have had some very low points.
“You can’t really see the end of the tunnel when they keep happening. We all have self-doubt. Sometimes I think, “why has it happened to me?”
“There have been points where you think, you’ve been giving all this effort, you dedicate all your life to be here and those are the dark days.
“We all have challenges and what did you do in those situations, fight or give in?
“You dedicate all your life, I’ll fight until the end” 💪
John Stones opens up about the injury problems he has had after not featuring since February 🔵 pic.twitter.com/7YA6qyQgVC
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 22, 2025
Pep Guardiola says some players will have to leave to trim the Man City squad this summer 🚨
Rodri and John Stones are not yet ready to start against Al Ain after their injury lay-offs 🔵 pic.twitter.com/DTP4nQRebc
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 22, 2025
“They will be unhappy, they will be sad.”
Pep Guardiola says Man City will likely sell some of their players 🗣 pic.twitter.com/qXYQJe28me
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 22, 2025
“I wish I had the answer. It is frustrating for me, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I find it very challenging mentally. But I feel great now, raring to go.”
“I don’t know what the reason is, and we’ve sat with the medical staff, sports science, to try and figure out why.
“Some things can’t be explained. Which is even more testing mentally when there’s not really an answer.
“It’s frustrating for everyone that you’re not available to help them, and you’ve got to find another way to be around the team.
“I’ve been unlucky with some of the injuries that I’ve had, they were very rare last season, after speaking to specialists.
“I think this season I’ve got to look more detailed into training, things that I can do off the pitch that I can sustain playing a lot more games.”
Pressed on what the extra detail looks like: “In training, a lot of training loads, so what you’re doing throughout the week in training, running-wise, stat-wise, from that sort of aspect.
“We’ve been monitoring that quite closely with this process coming back. I’ve been back in training a few weeks now, and that’s been going great, trying to do extra running if I need to, if I need to try and get those levels up.
“Just those little details have made such a big difference. I’m super excited and hopefully can implement these little things that we’ve tweaked, that are going to better me for the future.”
“There is no player who wants it more,’ Guardiola said on Stones. “Not egotistically for the fact of how much he can help us, but for the fact that it makes him happy, makes him part of his life.
“He’s a sensitive person. He’s an incredible human being. Incredible. I see him suffer because he cannot be working for ages and ages and ages. We want to involve him.”
Guardiola is expecting to see some first-team players sold on this summer but Stones himself wants to remain at the club. “I’m here, I want to stay here, I love it,” he said. “I’m here to help the team, and I don’t know if what’s been said or speculated, but I hope that kind of shuts it down.”
This is what Twitter users are saying as John Stones opens up on ‘dark days’ and contemplated RETIREMENT after a nightmare season…
@TomY9825: I’ll Back him til my last breath, unbelievable footballer if he can stay fit and I’m praying he can. If he can’t though it might be time to move on
@Razza_7: selling him doesn’t open up any squad space and 10 matches of a healthy Stones has more of an impact than a whole season from some inferior players
@Luke_MCFC: He’s probably on a crazy salary and whenever he does play he’s not fully fit.
@LycheeJR: Will forever believe that if this lad could have stayed fit he would have been up there with VVD over the last 6/7 years in terms of quality. For me he’s the best CB we’ve had during Pep’s tenure.
@TheCitizen114: Think his injury problems have been blown slightly out of proportion recently, if you hadn’t come to terms with the fact he’ll only play about half of our games every season then you weren’t paying attention. The 20-odd games we get out of him every year is worth more than the 50-60 we get out of plenty of others. Enjoy him while he’s here.
@archi3mcfc: I love this guy.
@rodrisonfire_16: They took KDB from me already. I draw the line with John Stones. He’s of versatile use as well.
@HWestwoodP: wouldn’t be surprised if he wins something this season especially he might just retired next summer, he’ll be 32 and his body is BROKEN. if he can get himself a tidy packet in MLS/Saudi cool go do that, but not sure whether even that will be on the table with his fitness issues
@TheFPLReports: A fit and available John Stones would walk into any side it’s just that we need players that are fit and available. Still don’t know how this situation will pan out surely we aren’t holding all of these CB’s.
@CitehSide: I pray to god that John Stones stays fit. Please.
