Juventus eye John Stones and Muharemovic as defenders

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti and his staff are scouting England defender John Stones and Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic as defensive options. Stones would be available on a free transfer after leaving Manchester City at the end of the 2025-26 season. Juventus are operating on a reduced budget with no Champions League revenue after missing out on Champions League qualification in the final weeks of the 2025-26 Serie A campaign. Spalletti aims to assemble a squad capable of challenging for the Serie A title in 2026-27. Stones, 32, spent ten seasons at Manchester City, winning six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the 2022-23 Champions League, and made 295 Premier League appearances and 62 Champions League appearances. He has 88 England caps and is part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup, but his injury record includes only nine Premier League appearances last season. Juventus also monitor Gleison Bremer’s future; his status may influence interest in Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich or Jhon Lucumi of Bologna. Bremer’s performance at the 2026 World Cup could determine whether Juventus pursue a sale. Photo credit: Lewis Storey.