John Stones is set for an Inter medical and the move is edging closer, but the deal is not signed yet. Stones has been without a club since his Manchester City contract expired at the end of June, and Inter are expected to offer him a two-year deal until the summer of 2028. At the same time, the club remain in talks for Cristian Romero, with both transfers still framed as work in progress.
Stones is close, but not done
Sports Mole reported that Stones is due to undergo a medical on Thursday before penning the deal, and that makes this feel like the more straightforward half of Inter's defensive push. The 2026 numbers fit that reading too. Stones has only five appearances and 348 minutes, with a recent rating of 6.63, so Inter are not buying a player in the middle of a heavy workload. They are betting on a centre-back whose minutes have been limited and whose next step now looks likely to be abroad.
If the move goes through, Stones would become just the fourth English player to represent Inter. That would be a neat footnote, but the bigger point is practical. Inter want a longer contract and a cleaner route to completion on Stones, while the club are still working through the more complicated Romero negotiation.
Romero is the harder deal
TEAMtalk say Inter remain confident they can complete both transfers, but Romero is the one with the obvious obstacles. Their opening proposal is worth €40million, structured as an initial loan with a mandatory obligation to buy. Tottenham initially valued Romero closer to €50million, and the main issue is salary, with Romero seeking around €6.5million per season against Inter's closer-to-€5million proposal.
The player profile explains why Inter are pushing. Romero has a 7.16 season rating, seven appearances and 627 minutes in 2026, so this is not a back-up plan or a rehabilitation project. It is a serious attempt to add a defender in strong form, and the gap between the two deals is easy to see. Stones looks like a free transfer with a longer contract attached. Romero looks like the negotiation that will take the patience.
Inter are currently eighth in Serie A, so these moves are about strengthening the squad rather than dressing up an already complete defence. Stones could be the first to land, with a medical now expected. Romero still needs the wage structure and fee terms to move into place.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
