Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on John Stones and Jose Callejon Rumours
Chelsea could be ready to give up the ghost on landing Everton defender John Stones, after the Toffees knocked back a second bid of £26 million for his services.
That’s according to manager Jose Mourinho himself, who said in a press conference that despite the Blues’ desperation for a new defender, they may have to end their pursuit—via ESPN FC:
"The market sometimes has no rules. We, as Chelsea, we make our own rules. To make our own rules is to evaluate the players, and to know the players' value, and to know when we have to stop and turn to another side and think in another option. Five [defenders] is not enough. That's obvious. We cannot go to the Premier League with five defenders. That's our weakness. The quality is good, but the numbers are not enough.
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Stones is believed to be the long-term successor to skipper John Terry and a potential upgrade on Gary Cahill, but Everton are incredibly reluctant to sell.
Still, Chelsea tend to get what they want when it comes to transfers. The stature of the club is enough to lure top players, while they have the financial backing to push deals over the line.
That much could well be the case with Stones in spite of Mourinho’s words, with an offer of over £30 million expected very soon.
Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe sat down with Ryan Bailey to discuss the switch, saying that he expects the transfer to go through—even if it is late in the day:
And it’s undoubtedly a deal worth pursuing for Chelsea. They desperately need defenders and one with the potential of 21-year-old Stones would be ideal.
Sure, £30 million-plus is a lot of money to pay, but if he goes on to have a Terry-esque career, it’ll be worth every penny.
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole thinks so, too, as he wrote in his Kicca blog that Stones is going to get better and better:
"John Stones is a very good young player, a very good talent who has a big future from the game. Long term I think he is going to play as a centre-back who can bring the ball out. He is very comfortable on the ball. He is the kind of guy who will step out of centre-half and involve the midfield players with the ball, and carry it forward. You don’t see many of those around. You can see why Chelsea are trying to get him as he’s going to be a very good player.
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Should the Blues turn away from the Englishman, it’s difficult to see which other avenues they can take before the window slams shut.
Kurt Zouma is an incredibly exciting prospect, and fans will likely see a lot more of him this season, but any defensive injury could land Chelsea in a spot of bother—particularly when fighting for trophies on four fronts.
The sooner Roman Abramovich dips his hand in his pocket and presents Everton and Stones with offers they can’t refuse, the better.
Jose Callejon
Chelsea could also up their bid for Napoli star Jose Callejon, for whom they tabled a £15.5 million offer earlier this summer.
That’s according to Fichajes.net (via Jamie Sanderson of Metro) which stated that the Blues are ready to return with a £26 million bid to get the midfielder to Stamford Bridge.
Callejon started his career at Real Madrid before switching to Espanyol in 2008 in search of regular football. However, upon his return to the Bernabeu in 2011, he was handed first-team opportunities under none other than Mourinho.
The Portuguese manager now wants a reunion with the midfielder, but it could prove a lot harder than just tabling an improved bid.
The Napoli powers-that-be are currently blocking Callejon’s path to the exit door, and the player’s agent Manuel Garcia Quillon told plbold.dk that no contact has been made with Chelsea, as reported by Football Italia:
“Have I spoken to someone from Chelsea? No, unfortunately not. As things stand, Jose will not be leaving Napoli. It is a decision made by President Aurelio De Laurentiis.”
Current Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez took Callejon to Serie A for €9.5 million two summers ago, and while Napoli don’t want to let their man go, a sale would represent a healthy profit.
First-team chances at Stamford Bridge would likely be few and far between for the Spaniard, though, so unless Mourinho works his magic, the star will stay put.
The Blues haven’t been the busiest side in the transfer window so far—understandably so given their brilliance last season—but as the window approaches a close, deals need to be done.
At least one more defender is an absolute must for the club, and if Mourinho can find a way to get a luxury player on board and improve their already impressive depth, it’ll set them up for a real charge at European and domestic glory.
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