June 13 (Reuters) - England defender John Stones has the ability play as a holding midfielder, manager Gareth Southgate has said ahead of his team's friendly against France on Tuesday. Stones joined Premier League club Manchester City from Everton in 2016 and made 39 appearances as the team finished third in the league. City ended the season without a trophy after being knocked out of the Champions League and FA Cup. He's a player who is very comfortable receiving possession, he has all the attributes to play as a holding midfield player. I also think we want defenders who can bring the ball out and show composure.

Source: Economic Times June 13, 2017 04:41 UTC