Manchester City goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero has heaped praise on new signing John Stones, claiming that the young defender "plays like a fucking player".

New City manager Pep Guardiola named Caballero between the sticks ahead of Joe Hart for their season opener against Sunderland on Saturday in a game which also saw Stones make his debut following his £47.5m move from Everton last weekend.

"Two or three players have arrived in the last week," Caballero is quoted as saying by The Mirror. "John played like a fucking player, he plays as if he has has been here from the last three or four years.

"It's important to play together. We need games and minutes together to have experience together and to have rhythm and to play more better if we can."

Caballero went on to admit that he was in a "tough" situation amid rumours that Guardiola is planning to sell Hart - a long-time first-choice keeper at City - during the transfer window.

"For sure, it's very tough in this situation for me, for Joe, for the fans, for everything," he said. "But I just tried to think and enjoy the opportunity and the most important thing is that we won as well. I wanted this opportunity.

"I try to show to Pep and all my players and all the City fans in every single day that I have had in the last three years."

Caballero featured just three times for City in the league last season but was an ever-present in their winning League Cup campaign.