Can John Stones lift the 'curse' of English players at Manchester City following his £47.5m transfer?

The Premier League's most expensive defender at £47.5million, John Stones is only the 15th Englishman signed by Manchester City since the club's new owners took over in 2008.

And it's fair to say it hasn't been a great experience for the majority, from Scott Sinclair to Jack Rodwell.

Sportsmail looks at the previous English players signed by City in the Sheikh Mansour era and whether they've been Hits or Misses.



John Stones will be hope to break the trend of unsuccessful English players at Man City

WAYNE BRIDGE

Signed £12m from Chelsea, 2009. Left on a free transfer to Reading, 2013

The left-back spent a lot of his four years as a City player on loan to other clubs; West Ham, Sunderland and Brighton. Despite being on reported £90,000-a-week wages, Bridge didn't play for City after 2011 as Roberto Mancini built a Premier League title-winning team.

Verdict: MISS


Wayne Bridge was on a reported £90,000-a-week at City but struggled as they progressed

GARETH BARRY

Signed for £12m from Aston Villa, 2009. Left on free transfer to Everton, 2014

Barry was a one-club man with Villa before choosing to join City over Liverpool in 2009. It proved the correct decision as the consistent midfielder was a key member of the team that won the FA Cup and Premier League. Senior officials such as Brian Marwood credit him with bringing a new professionalism to the dressing-room

Verdict: HIT



Gareth Barry is credited with bringing a new professionalism to the City dressing room

STUART TAYLOR

Signed on free transfer from Aston Villa, 2009. Left on free transfer to Reading, 2012

Back-up goalkeeper to Joe Hart and Shay Given, Taylor played just one match in three seasons for City – an FA Cup tie at Scunthorpe. Left for Reading and retired in 2015.

Verdict: MISS


Stuart Taylor played just one competitive match in a City shirt - an FA Cup tie at Scunthorpe

JOLEON LESCOTT

Signed for £22m from Everton, 2009. Left on free transfer to West Brom, 2014

Joined City after a protracted and controversial departure from Everton, whose manager David Moyes was desperate to keep him. The centre-half justified City's persistence by winning two Premier League titles in three seasons as well as the FA Cup and League Cup.

Verdict: HIT



Joleon Lescott helped City win the Premier League and FA Cup during his time at the club

ADAM JOHNSON

Signed for £7m from Middlesbrough, 2010. Left for £10m to Sunderland, 2014

Was the most expensive signing in the January 2010 transfer window as City tried to balance their squad with more homegrown players. But his relationship with manager Roberto Mancini was always difficult with the Italian refusing to give him a regular first-team berth and questioning his workrate. Left the club after just one full season, in which he made nearly as many substitute appearances as starts.

Verdict: MISS


Adam Johnson regularly fell out with manager Roberto Mancini over his lack of starts

ALEX HENSHALL

Signed for £250,000 from Swindon, 2010. Left on free transfer to Ipswich, 2014

Considered a star of the future when he joined the club at 16, but left four years later without having made a first-team appearance for City and being sent on loan to Chesterfield, Bristol Rovers and Ipswich. Now plays in Scotland for Kilmarnock.

Verdict: MISS



Supposed star of the future Alex Henshall never made a first-team appearance for City

JAMES MILNER

Signed for £26m from Aston Villa, 2010. Left on free transfer to Liverpool, 2015

Arguably the best English signing post-2008. Milner was nonetheless frustrated with missing out on City's biggest moments, and was an unused substitute when they famously beat QPR to win their first Premier League title, and again at Wembley when they defeated Sunderland to win the League Cup. Eventually decided to join Liverpool rather than sign a new contract at the Etihad last year.

Verdict: HIT



James Milner was an important cog at City but became frustrated at being used irregularly

OWEN HARGREAVES

Signed on free transfer from Manchester United, 2011. Left 2012, retired 2013

The England midfielder was troubled by knee problems towards the end of his career and made just four appearances for City in 2011/12 before the club decided not to extend his one-year deal. The former Bayern Munich and Manchester United star announced his retirement in early 2013 without playing again.

Verdict: MISS



Owen Hargreaves only made four appearances for City during his year with the club

JACK RODWELL

Signed for £12m from Everton, 2012. Left for £10m to Sunderland, 2014

Joined City in the middle of the London Olympics, but made only seven Premier League starts in two seasons. Shortly after his departure, he advised other City targets: 'I would weigh up your options and ask yourself if you want to be playing regularly.' Hoping to get a new start in the north-east this summer under David Moyes, who previously guided his career at Everton.

Verdict: MISS


Jack Rodwell found opportunities very limited during two seasons with the Etihad club

SCOTT SINCLAIR

Signed for £6m from Swansea, 2012. Left for £2.5m to Aston Villa, 2015

An even more peripheral figure than Rodwell, winger Sinclair made only two Premier League starts in three seasons for City, being sent on loan to West Brom and then Villa. Left Villa following last season's relegation and is now re-united with his former Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.

Verdict: MISS


Scott Sinclair made two Premier League starts in three seasons with City amid loan spells

RICHARD WRIGHT

Signed on free transfer from Preston, 2012. Retired 2016

Once England's most expensive goalkeeper when signing for Arsenal in 2001, he became something of a curiosity towards the end, staying at City for four years without playing a single match, for which he earned around £1.4m. Won two England caps in his heyday.

Verdict: MISS


Richard Wright did not play a single competitive game for City, earning £1.4million

RAHEEM STERLING

Signed for £49m from Liverpool, 2015. Still at club.

Became City's first English signing for three years when he signed from Liverpool with manager Manuel Pellegrini promising his career would advance at a club that regularly appears in the Champions League. Though he's still young, it hasn't happened yet and Sterling has gone from being England's best player at the 2014 World Cup to someone no longer guaranteed a starting place for club or country. Has admitted himself he needs to work on his finishing after scoring 10 goals last season.

Verdict: MISS


Raheem Sterling has admitted he needs to improve his finishing after a hard first season

FABIAN DELPH

Signed for £8m from Aston Villa, 2015. Still at club

Invited ridicule by declaring his intention to stay at Villa and then doing a U-turn to sign for City 24 hours later. Made just eight Premier League starts last season however and lost his England place for Euro 2016 having been one of the stars in qualification. Has said he's already learned more from Pep Guardiola in a couple of training sessions than any other manager he's had in his career.

Verdict: MISS


Fabian Delph started eight times in the Premier League for City last season after his move

PATRICK ROBERTS

Signed for £11m from Fulham, 2015. Still at club, on loan to Celtic

Desperate to sign up the best of young British, City swooped for Roberts after he helped England win the under-17s European Championship. The 19-year-old is still waiting for his first City start, however, having agreed an unusual 18-month loan with Scottish champions Celtic. It means he will spend this season at Parkhead, though his only appearance so far has come against Gibraltar part-timers Lincoln Red Imps.

Verdict: MISS


Patrick Roberts is currently in the middle of an 18-month loan spell with Scottish side Celtic