"Shock transfer" at Bayern: Kompany the driving force?

Kompany

FC Bayern Munich are reportedly eyeing a spectacular move in the transfer market.

According to the British newspaper *Daily Mail*, FC Bayern Munich are eyeing a move for Manchester City defender John Stones. 

The 31-year-old centre-back's contract expires at the end of June and will not be renewed, so his exit from the Sky Blues is already confirmed—meaning Stones would be available on a free transfer. In this scenario, described by the Daily Mail as a "shock transfer", Bayern manager Vincent Kompany could play a key role, as he played alongside Stones during his time at City. Furthermore, Harry Kane, a long-time teammate and captain of Stones in the England national team, is currently under contract in Munich.

Rumours first surfaced in February that the German record champions had already made contact with Stones.

FBL-ENG-FACUP-MAN CITY-CHELSEA

John Stones is now a substitute for Manchester City.

Stones, who has 87 England caps, was a key figure in City's successful era, winning the Premier League six times, the FA Cup twice and the Champions League in 2023 between 2016 and 2026. In 2025/26, however, injuries limited him to only 17 appearances under Pep Guardiola. 

A place in central defence at Bayern Munich would also be highly unlikely. With Dayot Upamecano, whose contract was recently extended until 2030, and Jonathan Tah, the record champions already have a well-established first-choice pairing. Behind them, however, the squad depth is somewhat thinner: Min-Jae Kim has long been regarded as a transfer target, but there have been no concrete developments. Hiroki Ito remains injury-prone and cannot be relied upon, so he could leave if the right offer arrives. Versatile Josip Stanisic, who spent most of last term at full-back, provides further cover in the centre.

Recent reports, including a Sport1 story on Tuesday evening, suggest that Stones' teammate Josko Gvardiol is eager to leave Man City this summer and views Bayern as an attractive destination. According to the outlet, Gvardiol is a "big fan" of the German record champions and has been on FCB's radar for some time. Unlike a move for Stones, signing Gvardiol would be extremely costly. However, Gvardiol can also operate at left-back, a position that is no longer secure at Bayern: Alphonso Davies has struggled for form and fitness since his cruciate ligament injury, raising questions about his long-term role.

John Stones: 2025/26 season statistics