Tony Adams has labelled Manchester City’s John Stones as “over-hyped and overrated” in his latest controversial interview.

• Adams likened Stones to ex-Blackburn defender Tony Gale
• Laments the lack of quality English defenders
• Didn’t criticise anything about Arsenal, for once

Speaking to The Mirror, Adams described Stones as “over-hyped and overrated” in yet another highly critical interview. “John Stones was hailed as a great new English central defender, first at Everton and then at Manchester City,” he said.

“I have always had my doubts about him; considered him to be average in all honesty, despite this hyping of him as a ball-using defender. I saw him as a Tony Gale — a centre-back who passed the ball well, and was good enough to win a Premier League with Blackburn Rovers, but who did not win an England cap.”

“Such is the dearth of English ball-playing defenders though, that Manchester City were willing to pay nearly £50m for Stones.”

Adams has released several comments recently, laying out his opinion on various subjects. While he has spoken openly about his personal issues, he has also been highly critical of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger.

It’s quite something that he didn’t have a dig at the club again for its own handling of English defenders recently. However, it’s also telling that he didn’t have any praise for Arsenal’s signing of Rob Holding and how they signed him for just £2.5m.

Arsenal were mocked last summer when they announced the signing. The media was much more impressed by City’s signing of John Stones and believed that he was a vastly superior talent to the then unknown Rob Holding.

After the 0-0 draw against Leicester at the start of last season, Wenger complained that nobody had praise of Holding’s performance, and quipped that he was “sorry he didn’t cost £50m”.

It’s just as well that he didn’t, as it seems to have allowed him to avoid the relentless scrutiny and criticism that expensive English players receive.