John Stones believes Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias are currently the two best ball-playing centre-backs in the Premier League.
Perhaps many would put Stones in the same category as one of, if not the standout ball-playing defender in the league at the moment.
However, the Manchester City colossus decided to shine a light on his teammates at the Etihad Stadium.
John Stones says Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias are the two best ball-playing centre-backs in the Premier League
It seems like Pep Guardiola wholeheartedly trusts Manuel Akanji’s ball-playing ability, as he has deployed him across the backline since he signed for City in the summer of 2022.
Similarly, Ruben Dias has become a mainstay under the Catalan boss, which goes to show how highly he is rated with the ball at his feet as well.
The likes of Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake are also terrific in possession.
But when quizzed about which two ball-playing centre-backs he thinks are the best in the Premier League, John Stones named Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias.
“I’ve put these two, Manu [Manuel] Akanji and Ruben Dias”, he told Sky Sports.
When asked why he did not name himself, Stones replied, “No, that’s for someone else, if they think that!”
John Stones was asked what makes Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias special and he answered, “To be fair, I missed Josko [Gvardiol] and Nathan [Ake]. I don’t know, the guys, how they see the game and then they bring their role and their kind of touch to the game.”
John Stones is the best out of the bunch
One would not necessarily disagree with John Stones as both Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias are not just excellent defensively but offer so much to this Manchester City side on the ball.
However, in our view, while Stones has chosen to be modest, he is the best out of his teammates when assessing the package he brings both on and off the ball.
It is due to this very reason that the 29-year-old is a master of playing the hybrid role, which Jamie Carragher believes is one that he has never seen a centre-back play in his lifetime.
Ultimately, Manchester City are blessed to have five top ball-playing defenders on their books, regardless of where they rank amongst themselves in the eyes of players, fans and pundits.
