Barnsley boys: Mason Holgate is quick to follow in the footsteps of John Stones

It does not sound as far fetched as it appears. Certainly not when you inspect the career graph of Barnsley academy products John Stones and Mason Holgate.

The similarities between the pair are uncanny. Both cut their footballing teeth at Oakwell before securing big-money moves to Everton while still in their teenage years; quickly earning plaudits aplenty.

Both are now in the equivalent of finishing school under the tutelage of two former Barcelona legends in the shape of Pep Guardiola and Ronald Koeman.

If you cannot learn from those two, you cannot learn from anyone and Barnsley academy supremo Mark Burton – instrumental in the development of both Stones and Holgate in their formative years – believes that both are in the perfect hands to fulfil their prodigious potential.

And that could be with club and country; maybe even alongside each other in the heart of the England back four, given time.

Still 19, Holgate is now stepping up with England U21s after his early-season first-team breakthrough at Everton, where he has been feted by Koeman and Blues captain Phil Jagielka, with the latter going on record to declare that the Doncaster-born player has ‘a massive future’ in the game.

Burton is definitely not one to dispute Jagielka’s sentiments.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “Mason has a good temperament and he will need to cement his place at Everton. But he is playing for England under-21s now, so why shouldn’t he make that step up like Stones and to see them both in the back four in two or three years would be brilliant.

“He can read the game and is comfortable of stepping in and trying to play out, like Stones. It would be lovely to see them both playing at centre-half for England in the future. Mason has every chance and just has to keep grounded.

“But he has a great manager in Koeman and he will know all about his development and while he will play him at right back, he will think in his own mind that he will be a centre-half in the future.”

Holgate definitely has the perfect role model to follow in Stones, outstanding in England senior team’s win against Slovakia in Bratislava on Sunday, as Sam Allardyce’s reign began on a winning note.

The next assignment for the Penistone lad, who moved for a staggering £47million to Manchester City last month, is likely to be the white-hot cauldron of a Manchester derby on Saturday.

Big games and occasions are likely to be commonplace for Stones in the seasons ahead, with Burton confident that nothing will faze him, having known the defender since he came to Barnsley as a young boy.

Burton said: “In my opinion, John can be the next England captain and be as good as the best centre halves who have played in an England shirt, and in the world.

“Football is an evolving game and top centre-halves now have to be comfortable in midfield areas and Stones has got that and he can also defend and can recover ground quickly.

“He is really good with the football and will get better and better.

“Pep Guardiola is the best in the business for a player like John and the perfect fit for him.

“Yes, he will make mistakes and if there is away of playing out, John will find it. But Pep will embrace that.

“He makes players better and John will relish being around him.

“As a person, John is not flash and is just a down to earth lad from Penistone. What has happened has not changed him one bit.

“He popped around the other week and gave me an England shirt from when they played against Holland for my birthday and also got me and my wife some really good tickets for the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United (last season).

“We text regularly and he will say things like: ‘I have heard that you said in the local newspaper that I was weak at 14!’ and we have a bit of banter about that.

“He has a real good family and girlfriend behind him and good people looking after him, although they will give him a little ‘clip’ now and again if needs be!”

As with Stones, Burton believes that Holgate, who moved to Merseyside just over 12 months ago in deal worth around £2million after making just 22 appearances for the Reds, has all the tools required in a modern-day international centre-back.

That, as Koeman and Guardiola will also testify, means prowess on the ball alongside all those traditional defensive attributes.

Burton added: “Mason has a really good career ahead of him. He had a spell at Leeds United at 13, but we got him back here and did not pay any compensation as he wanted to come back.

“We have a philosophy of playing out from the back at the club and Mason was one of those who could drop into midfield as well.

“He played at centre-half and is now starting at right-back. But he will end up as a centre-half without a shadow of a doubt.”

John Stones

Age: 22

Born: May 28, 1994, Barnsley.

Clubs: Barnsley, Everton, Manchester City.

Club career: Made 28 appearances for Barnsley, making his debut as a substitute against Reading in March 2012, with his full league debut arriving against Middlesbrough in August 2012. Sold to Everton for £2.25m (plus 15 per cent profit sell-on clause) in January 2013. Moved to Manchester City for £47.5m in August 2016 – making him the world’s second most expensive defender. Signed a six-year deal.

International career: Named in England’s squad for the under-20s World Cup in 2013. Made his senior international debut in a friendly against Peru at Wembley in May 2014.

Part of England’s squad at the Under-21 European championship in June 2015. Capped 11 times at senior level and was part of England’s Euro 2016 squad in France, but did not feature in the tournament.

Mason Holgate

Age: 19

Born: October 22, 1996, Doncaster.

Club career: Made 22 appearances for Barnsley after coming through the academy, making his debut against hometown club Doncaster Rovers in December 2014 and was named as the club’s Young Player of the Year in 2014-15. Joined Everton for a fee rising to £2m in August 2015 - signing a five-year deal in the wake of rival interest from Manchester United and Bournemouth. Made his debut in the Blues’ 2016-17 Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park last month.

International career: Capped eight times at England under-20 level and recently called up to the under-21 squad.