Chelsea Transfer News: Third John Stones Bid Readied, Godfred Donsah Rumours

Chelsea’s pursuit of Everton defender John Stones shows no signs of slowing down, with latest reports suggesting the Blues will launch a new bid of around £30 million for the 21-year-old starlet.

That’s according to Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph, who claims the Toffees have “fears” about whether or not they’ll be able to keep hold of Stones beyond this transfer window. This is despite Everton manager Roberto Martinez insisting they are a club big enough to keep hold of the youngster and he’s not for sale.

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Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe took a look at what Chelsea would potentially be getting should they lure Stones to Stamford Bridge this summer:

It’s easy to see why Everton are so keen to keep hold of Stones. Not only is the England international one of the most prodigious talents on the continent, but just days away from the Premier League season getting underway, he and Phil Jagielka are the only two senior centre-back options in Martinez’s squad.

Peter McPartland of Toffee TV thinks the Merseyside club have every right to hold firm when it comes to their prized asset:

Naturally there will come a point when the club has to sell. Stones is a talent destined for the very summit of the game and although Everton are a team with a rich history and longstanding traditions, at the moment the club can’t compete financially with the biggest sides in England.

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Daniel Storey of Football365 thinks, with that in mind, the Toffees should probably cash in and rebuild:

But to do so now would be a major gamble. After all, Everton face all of last season’s top eight in their first 10 games of the campaign and going into those matches with an unfamiliar, inexperienced centre-back pairing would be a recipe for disaster.

Chelsea’s willingness to land Stones now is understandable. Should he enjoy another excellent campaign and shine at next summer’s European Championships, the player’s asking price is only going to expand. Manager Jose Mourinho knows just how good Stones will be and is clearly keen on tying up a deal before other parties enter the race.

Chelsea in Talks with Godfred Donsah

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Although the Blues haven’t made many stellar summer acquisitions, Mourinho has secured some exciting young talent in the transfer window. And the Portuguese could be set to add more youthful exuberance to his squad with the capture of Cagliari’s Godfred Donsah.

But it seems the Serie A side are desperate to keep hold of their midfield sensation, despite revealing there have been discussions with the Blues about a switch.

“We had a chat a few weeks ago with Chelsea,” said Cagliari’s president Tommaso Giulini, per Jamie Sanderson of Metro. “But I am stunned by all these rumours around him. The lad needs to grow up with us.”

Here’s a look at why there is so much hype surrounding the 19-year-old midfielder:

The Blues are clearly making major efforts to add a dash of youthful exuberance to their squad and that’s something that should be lauded. But as Giulini noted, Donsah has a lot to learn about playing football at the very highest level and would be best served getting regular minutes under his belt with Cagliari.

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As we can see here courtesy of Jake Cohen of ESPN, young players at Chelsea have typically had to go out on loan to get regular football:

Donsah, who is also a target for Arsenal according to Sanderson, has all the traits required to go on and eventually thrive for a team like Chelsea. But for the time being, establishing himself at the Stadio Sant’Elia should be the youngster's most pertinent concern, not a transfer to a European superpower in his teenage years.