According to The Athletic, Chelsea have joined Arsenal in showing interest to sign former Man City defender John Stones. New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso wants to add experience to his young team, with the centre-back position being a focus of his attention. Two players might be signed for that department this summer.

Chelsea have added 32-year-old English centre-back John Stones to their list of defensive options, although Maxence Lacroix is considered the priority target. Stones is currently a free agent and has been without a club since July 1, 2026. The defender, who has 94 caps and 3 goals for England, has a current Transfermarkt market value of €12.00m. Several Serie A clubs, including Juventus, Inter, Milan, and Napoli, have also been recently linked with the player.