England defender John Stones has been ruled out of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia due to a muscular injury.
The 31-year-old Manchester City player, who has started all three of his club’s Premier League games this season, withdrew from the squad after arriving at the training camp with an issue that had not improved.
England manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed the news, stating, “He came with minor issues and didn’t progress as we thought and hoped he would, so he left camp this morning.”
Stones’ absence is considered a blow for Tuchel, who is a known admirer of the defender’s talent and was reportedly considering him as a potential number six option in the squad. This marks the third consecutive camp Stones has missed due to injury.
The team has other centre-back options available, including Marc Guehi, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, and Jarell Quansah.
England is set to face Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday, followed by a match against Serbia on Tuesday.
