RIYADH: Having played alongside two record breakers in Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane, Manchester City and England defender John Stones is well placed to judge the best goalscorers.
And he has put Erling Haaland firmly among the legendary striking duo after his astonishing start to life at the Etihad Stadium.
The Norwegian, 22, has netted 42 times since his $53 million (?42.5 million) arrival from Borussia Dortmund, including six hat-tricks and five goals in the 7-0 Champions League last-16 win over RB Leipzig.
During his 10 years at City, Aguero became the club’s leading scorer with 260 goals, while Kane is also now the all-time top scorer for both Tottenham Hotspur and England after another impressive campaign.
Speaking exclusively to Arab News, Stones said: “I’ve been so lucky to play with all three of them. I think they are so different and unique in their own way but, at the end of the day, they all score goals.
“I know it’s so early for Erling, but what an incredible player. He’s got to be up there with the best I’ve played with, like Sergio, and Harry.
“He’s got so much time ahead of him and he’s an even better person, which makes what he’s doing even more special.
“I hope he can get 50 goals, just for him, and I’d love to help him get there,” he added.
The way Haaland has settled at City has been remarkable, but Stones said the club do an “incredible job” in attracting the right players to help them continue their push for trophies.
“It’s not an easy thing to do when you see what happens at other clubs,” added the 28-year-old, who joined City in 2016.
“There’s a massive bond between all of us, it kind of clicked. It’s so nice to be part of — and it translates out there on the pitch.”
That camaraderie and quality has seen defending champions City push Arsenal for the English Premier League title, face Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-finals, and take on Bayern Munich in the last eight of the Champions League.
Two years ago, Stones suffered double final heartbreak when his club lost the Champions League showpiece to Chelsea and England were then beaten on penalties by Italy at Euro 2020.
He said: “It was a difficult summer for me, with losing the Champions League final and then the Euros final with England.
“But I’m one of them who has kind of buried it, not thought about it. I wouldn’t say it’s still raw now, but maybe too painful for me to go back over that. I find I cope a lot better if I just leave it there.
“I’ve not watched those games back. I probably will when I finish, but it’s my way of coping and moving on from those situations. I think the bad memories are almost erased now because you are focused on things ahead,” Stones added.
The Champions League is high on his wish-list.
New Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel will try to plot City’s downfall again, having been in charge of Chelsea when they won the 2021 final.
Real Madrid or Chelsea will await the winners in the semi-finals, and Carlo Ancelotti’s men launched an incredible comeback to beat City in last season’s last-four tie.
Stones said: “We shouldn’t be afraid of anyone. We know we can compete; we can show ourselves against the top teams.
“You want to be on the best stages, playing against the best teams, the best players, and proving ourselves and coming out on top.”
Stones noted that the burning desire to keep winning was what kept the City team going.
“Nights like the one against Leipzig make it worthwhile in some sense. I don’t think we expected to score seven against such a good team who had played so well in the first leg.
“It’s all about getting the perfect performance, about being together. We have always shown, even in the final we lost against Chelsea, that we wanted to try to be ourselves and play how we believe.
“It didn’t work that night, but 99 times out of 100 it does. That’s why everyone is on the same page, and we need to keep believing in that,” he added.