Chelsea have had a second, improved offer for defender John Stones rejected by Everton, Goal can confirm. Jose Mourinho returned with a...
offer for defender John Stones rejected
by Everton, Goal can confirm.
Jose Mourinho returned with a £28
million bid for the 21-year-old after an
initial £20m approach had been rejected
out of hand by the Toffees , who are
determined to keep hold of one of their
key players.
The nature of Chelsea's move for Stones
has caused some friction between the two
clubs, as well as Mourinho and Roberto
Martinez, with the Portuguese eager to
sign one of his key targets this summer.
But the England international was
informed on Tuesday, prior to playing in
Everton's friendly 2-0 win over Dundee,
that Chelsea's latest offer had been
rejected, though he remains hopeful that
a move can eventually be agreed and
Everton are open to doing a deal should
an offer in the region of £35m be tabled.
Stones is seen as a long-term heir to John
Terry, 34, while the likes of Branislav
Ivanovic and Gary Cahill are also
approaching the latter stages of their
careers.
Mourinho had hoped to add the versatile
defender to his ranks, though has
previously appeared irritated with the
prologued nature of Chelsea's pursuit of a
player that cost just £3m when he moved
from Barnsley to Everton.
"We are all in a strange world," said 'the
Special One' earlier this month, referring
to Everton's unwillingness to sell, "we
think it [the transfer market] is open but it
is not."
Nevertheless, Mourinho seems prepared
to play a waiting game in order to land his
man, while the Toffees continue to
monitor potential replacements including
Manchester United's Jonny Evans and
Middlesbrough's Ben Gibson.
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