Chelsea Resort to Well-Worn Tricks in Dogged Pursuit of Everton's John Stones

Presumably it is only a matter of days until we starting hearing that John Stones has “Chelsea DNA.” In the little black book of tapping up an opposition player, that is just about the next card to be played.

Chelsea’s pursuit of Stones—one that has apparently already angered Everton considerably—moved into a different gear on Wednesday, when Blues defender Gary Cahill publicly encouraged his England team-mate to make the move to Stamford Bridge.

It is the sort of tactic we have previously only seen (so publicly, at least) when Barcelona or Real Madrid are courting a player: First an opening bid is made and rejected, then the club leak details of their interest, and then, when that also appears to have failed, one or more players from the buying club suddenly start making certain comments in the media.

Sometimes they are somewhat subtle, but often—as when Xavi claimed Cesc Fabregas had "Barcelona DNA"—they are not.

“Are Chelsea a hard club to turn down? Yes of course,” Cahill said (per the Guardian). “In terms of ambition, if you’re a young player in the game, have played in the Premier League like he did a lot last year, and a big club come calling, it’s very difficult to turn down because you want to achieve the most you can in the short period you have in your career as a professional footballer.

“When a top club comes calling, who you know will be firing on all fronts with competitions and medals, that’s ultimately what you want to be playing for. It’s hard to turn down of course.”

Whether deliberate or not, having Cahill speak about the transfer had an added aspect. As someone who also left a safe situation at a "smaller" club to prove himself at Chelsea and went on to enjoy great success, Cahill is an obvious example for Stones of how successful such a switch can be.

Cahill added: “He will look at the club, look at the players, and look at being involved in a squad like ours. When Chelsea came calling for me, it was an opportunity, it was a chance and looking from the outset you may not be sure how it’s going to go. But it’s one you can’t turn down; you have to grab it with both hands. Then you have to work as hard as you can to make it work.”

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Cahill has gone on to win the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup since moving to west London—a compelling list of achievements for any player with similar aspirations.

Speaking so directly about a potential transfer will undoubtedly do little to improve the mood of Toffees manager Roberto Martinez, who previously spoke of his “disappointment” at Chelsea’s public comments about a transfer.

“John Stones is an Everton player, full stop,” Martinez added (per the BBC). “We are not a selling club. We are not a club that needs to be worried about what other clubs put through the press."

In his own imitable way, Mourinho responded in confrontational fashion, suggesting sarcastically that it seems he had completely misunderstood how the transfer system works.

“Our strategy for the Premier League is going to change next year,” Mourinho joked (again per the Guardian). “Next year we are going to make the first bid on the first of September. On the first of September we will do a bid for the season later. Because at this moment, until the 31st of August, it is closed. The market is closed. We are all in a strange world. We are all in a strange world. We think it is open but it is not open. It is closed.”

Mourinho went on to dispute Martinez’s assertion that Everton had made it clear that Stones was not for sale at any price—suggesting they had left the door somewhat open. Whether that is what they have heard in private from player and club or is simply the result of an inherent arrogance about their pulling power, Chelsea clearly believe they will be able to sign the 21-year-old before the window closes.

“The market is where it is and it’s up to the clubs to decide yes or no,” Mourinho said. “And I speak just for ourselves. For ourselves there are certain rules.”

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Despite Everton’s protestations, it is perhaps not a huge assumption that a transfer fee will eventually be agreed between the two clubs (don’t all such sagas eventually end that way?). At that point, it will be extremely interesting to see what Stones does.

At 21, he is still very much in the formative years of his career—by comparison, Cahill was 26 when he moved to Stamford Bridge—and is still to even play a full season in the Premier League (he appeared in 23 games last season).

The next phase in his development would appear to be playing week in, week out for a full campaign. To some extent it matters little where he does that, except it is almost certain that will not be a possibility in the near future at Stamford Bridge.

It is a familiar refrain, but the big club move would not appear to be in his short-term interests—what they offer in terms of expanded horizons is more than offset by the more limited opportunities he will initially have.

“Potentially he can be a top player, not just for us but also for England,” Cahill said. “I think England will benefit too because he will get more experience playing in the Premier League and also the Champions League. I’m sure he will become a bigger and better player for that.”

It is not a huge exaggeration to say that Stones is the most promising English centre-back to emerge since Rio Ferdinand; a natural defender with both good positional instincts and a comfort in possession that eludes many other similarly talented players. It is not hard to see why Chelsea would be willing to spend so much on him, even if there is a homegrown premium built into any fee, because if he ends up being as good as Ferdinand was for so long, he will still prove a bargain. With each season that passes, his transfer fee is only likely to rise.

From Stones’ point of view, however, it is perhaps worth noting that Ferdinand played three full seasons for boyhood club West Ham before he made the first big move of his career, when he was 22. And even then he moved to Leeds United (an emerging power at the time but still not a genuine title contender), playing for 18 months at Elland Road before Manchester United made him the world’s most expensive defender—something he remained until last summer, when David Luiz was exiled to Paris.

Stones may not end up costing more than Luiz, but he could well cost as much as Ferdinand did once add-ons are included, something that will bring its own pressure and expectation. Being asked to eventually succeed John Terry will only multiply those pressures.

“Without being arrogant or anything about it, I’d love to set the mark and try and be as good as [Ferdinand and Terry],” Stones recently told FourFourTwo. “I’ve got to do that at Everton first to get picked.

“I’m trying to get that mixture [between their styles]. I think from last season to this season there’s been a big difference and definitely that mixture between smooth passing and tough defending is going to be a good recipe for my game.”

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By all accounts, Stones is one of the good guys in football, both an extremely promising talent and a young man aware there is more to life than the trials and tribulations of game. He is apparently always willing to put himself forward for the various community projects Everton are involved with, even winning an award for his charitable work last season.

That suggests a young man of remarkable maturity and perspective, which in turn suggests he may yet take a wider view of his career prospects. If he progresses as everyone expects, then the chance to move to Chelsea—or Manchester City, or Manchester United—will be there every summer; if he fulfils his potential, then he is simply too good not to be wanted by the biggest clubs around.

He needs regular games to reach that point, however, games he has a better chance of getting at Goodison Park than Stamford Bridge. With all that considered, it would seem staying on Merseyside would be the wise decision, but judging by their concerted courtship, Chelsea will not make it easy for either club or player to resist.