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John Stones made it roughly 62 minutes into his first competitive start for Inter Milan before his body filed a familiar complaint. The 32-year-old English defender was substituted during Inter’s 5-3 victory over Udinese on September 14, replaced by Benjamin Pavard after suffering a left thigh flexor muscle strain.
Clinical and instrumental tests confirmed the injury on September 17, with the club announcing an expected recovery window of three to four weeks.
What happened against Udinese
Inter were cruising to a high-scoring win when Stones pulled up in the second half. The centre-back, who had arrived at San Siro on a free transfer from Manchester City on July 30, had shown promising signs during pre-season, even finding the net during a friendly against Real Betis.
The injury immediately rules Stones out of Inter’s Serie A fixture against Roma on September 19. Re-evaluations are scheduled in the coming weeks, but the club’s initial timeline suggests he won’t be available until mid-October at the earliest.
A pattern that won’t quit
Inter, willing to bet on his quality when available, signed him to a two-year deal worth approximately €4 million per season. It was a classic low-risk, high-reward calculation: world-class talent at zero transfer fee, offset by the very real possibility that he’d spend chunks of the season unavailable.
Inter’s defensive depth means the club won’t collapse without him. Manuel Akanji, Yann Aurel Bisseck, and Pavard provide manager Simone Inzaghi with viable alternatives.
England implications under Tuchel
The injury also complicates matters for the national team. Thomas Tuchel, now managing England, faces a potential selection headache with Nations League fixtures approaching. A three-to-four week absence puts his availability for the next international window in serious doubt.
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