Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has identified Manchester City’s John Stones as England’s best centre-back at the moment.
Ferdinand believes Stones, who is currently injured, is ahead of Manchester United’s Harry Maguire in the Three Lions.
He also feels that England manager Gareth Southgate is denting the confidence of Chelsea defender Levi Colwill by continuing to pick Maguire for England.
“If England was in a knife-edge situation I’d get it, but they are going to qualify [for Euro 2024], they are the best team in their group by a mile,” Ferdinand said on Vibe With Five when asked about Southgate’s decision to pick Maguire.
“My biggest concern would be the confidence and the morale of other players in that position [centre-back]. He [Southgate] is basically saying he’s got no other centre-halves he can trust at all.
“John Stones, who is the best England centre-half at the moment, is injured. Marc Guehi comes in, he just seems to be able to step up to every level he gets asked to step up to, he steps up comfortably.
“Maguire has not played and he’s probably sitting there going, ‘thank god Gareth Southgate is manager because no one else would play me like this’.”
Stones, who joined Man City from Everton in 2016, has been a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s side.
