John Stones has emerged as a subject of interest for Arsenal, with the Manchester City defender facing an uncertain future at the Etihad Stadium.

According to Eurosport, Arsenal are keeping tabs on John Stones. The Manchester City defender has been identified as a potential target for the Gunners, who are apparently keen on bolstering their ranks following a disappointing start to the campaign.

Stones is facing an uncertain future at Man City, with his contract at Etihad expiring in 2022. Arsenal have already expressed their desire to speak to the player regarding a potential move to Emirates, should the Sky Blues make him available in the upcoming January transfer window.

Stones did feature in Manchester City’s recent Premier League game against Burnley, helping his team secure a 5-0 victory. However, his departure from Etihad remains a possibility as Pep Guardiola has spent a considering amount of sum in the defensive unit in the summer.

Nathan Ake was brought in from relegated Bournemouth earlier in the summer and it was followed by the arrival of Ruben Dias from SL Benfica. The latter, in particular, has built a relatively formidable defensive partnership along with Aymeric Laporte as the PL giants look to recover from a disappointing start to the campaign.

Not good enough for Man City. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Not good enough for Man City. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

 Arsenal’s interest in Stones, however, seem rather bizarre given the fact that Mikel Arteta already has a bunch of options in central defence in the current roster. New summer signing Gabriel Magalhaes has already established himself as a reliable presence in the backline while the likes of Rob Holding, Pablo Mari and David Luiz remain other alternatives.

Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis could leave the club January, while William Saliba has been linked with a return to Ligue 1. Yet, Stones might find it difficult to guaranteed game-time at Emirates, which becomes problematic for a player whose progress has been marred by injuries and a lack of game-time at the Etihad.

An ideal option, therefore, could be to shift to a lower-tier Premier League outfit. A move to Aston Villa or Everton, for one, could make sense as they can both provide the Englishman with the opportunity to showcase his quality at the highest level of football, and thereby earn a place in the English side for the upcoming European Championship in summer 2021.

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