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 (拢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鈥檚 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: 鈥淚鈥檝e 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.

鈥淚 know it鈥檚 so early for Erling, but what an incredible player. He鈥檚 got to be up there with the best I鈥檝e played with, like Sergio, and Harry.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got so much time ahead of him and he鈥檚 an even better person, which makes what he鈥檚 doing even more special.

鈥淚 hope he can get 50 goals, just for him, and I鈥檇 love to help him get there,鈥� he added.

The way Haaland has settled at City has been remarkable, but Stones said the club do an 鈥渋ncredible job鈥� in attracting the right players to help them continue their push for trophies.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not an easy thing to do when you see what happens at other clubs,鈥� added the 28-year-old, who joined City in 2016.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a massive bond between all of us, it kind of clicked. It鈥檚 so nice to be part of 鈥� and it translates out there on the pitch.鈥�

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: 鈥淚t was a difficult summer for me, with losing the Champions League final and then the Euros final with England.

鈥淏ut I鈥檓 one of them who has kind of buried it, not thought about it. I wouldn鈥檛 say it鈥檚 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.

鈥淚鈥檝e not watched those games back. I probably will when I finish, but it鈥檚 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,鈥� Stones added.

The Champions League is high on his wish-list.

New Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel will try to plot City鈥檚 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鈥檚 men launched an incredible comeback to beat City in last season鈥檚 last-four tie.

Stones said: 鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 be afraid of anyone. We know we can compete; we can show ourselves against the top teams.

鈥淵ou want to be on the best stages, playing against the best teams, the best players, and proving ourselves and coming out on top.鈥�

Stones noted that the burning desire to keep winning was what kept the City team going.

鈥淣ights like the one against Leipzig make it worthwhile in some sense. I don鈥檛 think we expected to score seven against such a good team who had played so well in the first leg.

鈥淚t鈥檚 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.

鈥淚t didn鈥檛 work that night, but 99 times out of 100 it does. That鈥檚 why everyone is on the same page, and we need to keep believing in that,鈥� he added.