'I thought I knew football but Pep made me feel like I knew nothing' - John Stones on Man City transformation and Erling Haaland's Yorkshire accent

John Stones is one of the best defenders of his generation. Now he is also regarded as one of the best midfielders too.

He won't admit it himself, though, and it still surprises him to some extent when he watches clips back and realises that he is the sky-blue figure, elegantly trapping the ball and gliding past opponents as if they were frozen in time.

The 29-year-old is understated about his own achievements and the key role he played as an individual in City's greatest-ever side last season. It's not because he is trying to be self-aware, but simply because he is so modest.

Whether you call him the Barnsley Beckenbauer or the Barnsley Busquets, he is just John Stones. The down-to-earth and friendly footballer who arrived at City as a rough diamond and who has been refined into a priceless gem of a player by Pep Guardiola.

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"I don’t know what to say when people say this about Beckenbauer!" he laughs during a sit-down interview in Seoul. "He (Pep) expects a lot from us as centre-halves to start play from our build-up. It’s rewarding as well when you see it come off and when you train it over and over and over, what he wants from you, and then how you see it play out, and we create chances from our own goal kick.

"It just comes as second nature what you should do, and then obviously there's fine tweaks. I absolutely love it, I’m learning, every year there’s something new, he knows everyone's strengths and weaknesses, and that's why we rotate so much because he feels that player or that team that he puts out is the best to beat the opposition.

"As a defender, it's very demanding, extremely rewarding, and I always say that when you're happy in