​A new report outlines that Guardiola lost faith in Stones’ fitness in his final months at Man CityStones was left out of the Carabao Cup final starting XI in March despite Ruben Dias being injuredThe 32-year-old has departed Man City as a free agent and is looking for a new clubA new report has outlined why John Stones was restricted to a bit-part role in his final months as a Manchester City player despite the defender publicly admitting he had been fit to play nearly all season.Stones, 32, departed Manchester City at the end of last season as a free agent, bringing to a close a ten-year association with the club that at its peak saw the England international widely regarded as one of the most accomplished ball-playing defenders in European football under Guardiola’s demanding system.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe manner of his exit, however, has been clouded by a period of declining involvement that left those around the club puzzled and, in some cases, openly frustrated on the player’s behalf – with fresh details now shedding light on the breakdown in the relationship between Guardiola and a defender he had once counted among the most indispensable members of his squad.“All season” – John Stones reveals fitness truth around final Manchester City campaignStones has since joined England’s squad at the FIFA World Cup as a free agent, with Thomas Tuchel evidently maintaining confidence in a player whose club situation has provided some of the more uncomfortable subplots of the summer for supporters reflecting on Guardiola’s final season in charge.The decision not to renew his contract, and the circumstances that surrounded his diminished role in the final months of the campaign, are now becoming clearer as sources close to the situation speak openly about what transpired behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium.According to Sam Lee of The Athletic, different sources familiar with the situation have revealed that Guardiola lost faith in Stones’ ability to stay fit, with the dynamic between the two understood to have been shaped by a fundamental difference in approach – the Catalan’s preference for players who push themselves to be available contrasting with Stones’ tendency, at certain points, to take a more cautious approach to his own physical management.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Athletic’s sources stress, however, that in the final months of the season those around the City training ground had been genuinely impressed with Stones’ recovery and considered him to be in good shape – making what followed all the more difficult for those who observed it closely.Despite Ruben Dias being injured and fellow centre-back Marc Guehi being cup-tied ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal in late March, Stones was left out of the starting lineup for a fixture that represented one of the most significant occasions of Manchester City’s season – a decision that sources indicate left a lastin