ENGLAND star John Stones is in contention to start against Serbia.

The Three Lions kick-off their Euro 2024 campaign on Sunday night.

Stones, 30, missed a training session earlier this week due to illness.

To prevent the bug spreading through England’s camp in Blankenhain, the Manchester City star was kept in quarantine away from his team-mates.

He started mixing with the rest of the squad and returned to full training yesterday.

And Jordan Pickford has now revealed that the centre-back is “fit and ready to go”.

Asked about Stones’ importance, he said: “I remember playing with him at Under-19s level and he made the step up early.

“I’ve known him for a long time and he is a top player – what he’s won for his club.

“Yeah, he is fit and ready to go.

“He is one of the best centre-backs in the world and for England he has been quality with the amount of caps he has won.”

Stones’ return is a huge boost for Gareth Southgate, who has a defensive selection dilemma to solve.

England are without Stones’ usual centre-back partner Harry Maguire as he did not make the squad due to injury.

Marc Guehi is expected to start in the Manchester United skipper’s place.

And left-back Luke Shaw is sidelined with injury – but he is set to return for the Three Lions’ second match versus Denmark.

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