Chelsea considering free transfer for ex-Manchester City defender

Chelsea considering free transfer for ex-Manchester City defender originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

>One thing has been clear in the early stages of the summer transfer window: Chelsea are going all out on bolstering their ranks after a lackluster Premier League campaign. This can be reflected in their acquisitions of Marco Palestra and Georgia Quenda, with the Blues spending a combined 107 million on the pair, with the Italian right-back being the first step in the team's effort to improve their defensive department.

>But it appears that the Stamford Bridge brass might not be done adding, with only Palestra, as they've been linked to looking at a former Premier League and Champions League winner: John Stones.

Stones to Stamford Bridge?As reported by The Athletic's Simon Johnson, Chelsea has been considering bringing in the former Manchester City defender on a free transfer, given that his decade-long run at the Etihad came to an end at the conclusion of the previous campaign.

>"Chelsea have added England international John Stones to the list of centre-backs they are considering signing this summer," writes Johnson.

>Stones went into the transfer window without a club team, but as a part of the English National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a tournament in which the Englishman would have some stellar performances.

>Given that there isn't a transfer fee to be paid, the veteran defender would be a smart choice for Chelsea, saving them money that they could spend on other players on the market.

>It's worth pointing out that the Blues aren't the only London-based club interested in bringing in Stones in the coming weeks, as their cross-town rival and reigning Premier League champions, Arsenal, have been tied to him in the last couple of days.

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