High 5 for Stones as he gets Zaba’s shirt number...
JOHN Stones will wear the No.5 for City next season - with Pablo Zabaleta’s blessing.
The Blues centre-back will inherit the Argentine’s former jersey following his departure to West Ham.
And Stones has revealed he asked his former team-mate about adopting the traditional centrehalf’s number.
While some players place little store in such matters, Stones - who previously wore No.24 following his big-money move from Everton last summer - buys into the symbolic value.
He had previously taken over the same number when Johnny Heitinga left Everton and, out of respect for club legend Zabaleta, checked with the right-back before making the switch again.
“It’s been worn by some great players and not only at City but throughout the world,” said Stones.
“I spoke to Zaba before I took the shirt and just wanted to say that I’d been offered it and wanted to take it forward and I just thought it was the right thing to do.
“He’s had the shirt for such a long time and we shared a few jokes about hopefully winning some silverware wearing that number and I think it was the right thing to do to ask him.
“There’s that bit of respect and justice to the shirt, I suppose.”
Stones’ first season may not have led to the silverware he was hoping for, but his own confidence has been strengthened by unexpected support from rival players.
“I’ve had some nice messages after games from players who I haven’t spoken to before,” he said.
“I won’t name people and drop them in it, but I’ve had messages from strikers and defenders saying that they respect and love the way I play, telling me to keep doing it and not to change the way I am.
“To hear that from players in other teams who I have not spoken to before is great for me and has given me a lot of confidence. It’s a classy touch from them as well. They don’t have to go out of their way to say that.”
Stones accepts City did not meet expectations as a team last year and is unashamed in his pursuit of titles.
“I’ve had that little bit of experience over the years of how hard it is to win trophies and to keep winning trophies,” the 23-year-old said. “That’s why I went to City and why I wanted to work with Pep himself - he’s got the best out of the players he’s worked with and won a lot of trophies. Ultimately, that is my goal, to become as good as I can be and win as many things as I can.
“As a kid I played in tournaments and won trophies but in my pro career I’ve not won anything yet.”