John Stones sat out England training with illness on Wednesday in the latest blow to Gareth Southgate’s defensive preparations ahead of Sunday’s Euro 2024 opener.
Stones was taken off at half-time during Friday’s friendly defeat to Iceland at Wembley, having taken an ankle knock early in the contest.
The Manchester City’s defender’s removal was said to be precautionary and he eased fears over his availability for this weekend’s meeting with Serbia by joining England’s open training session at the Jena Stadium on Tuesday.
However, the 30-year-old was the one player missing from Southgate’s final 26-man squad as preparations shifted to the plush Spa & Golf Resort Weimarer Land, where they will be based throughout the tournament.
Stones did not start any of City’s final seven Premier League games before returning to the lineup for the FA Cup final defeat to rivals Man United.
He was then given an extended break by Southgate and missed last week’s warm-up friendly win over Bosnia & Herzegovina before rejoining the squad ahead of the Iceland game.
Stones, who has 72 caps, has been a mainstay of Southgate’s defence at the last three major tournaments and his importance to England’s cause has been amplified by the absence of regular partner Harry Maguire, who failed to recover from a calf injury in time to make the final squad.
Southgate will hope desperately that Stones is ready to start against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen this weekend, as the senior partner to one of Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Lewis Dunk.
Luke Shaw will definitely miss that game but England hope their only specialist left-back, who is back in training, will be fit to play some part in the second group game against Denmark.
