Chelsea Transfer News: Mega John Stones Bid to Follow Pedro Deal

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has apparently been given the green light to push on with his pursuit of Everton defender John Stones and will lodge a fourth bid for the player worth £40 million.

That’s according to Paul Brown of the Daily Star, who reports that with a deal for Barcelona winger Pedro in the pipeline, the Portuguese has convinced owner Roman Abramovich to sanction another offer for the England international after insisting reinforcements at the back are necessary. 

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Earlier this summer, Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe took a closer look at what Chelsea would be getting for their money if they landed the 21-year-old:

Stones is a player who seems destined for the very top of the game. Not only does he defend with composure and authority, the former Barnsley man carries the ball out from the back with a swagger, setting the Toffees off on their attacking bursts. So it’s absolutely no surprise Mourinho is a massive admirer.

Reports have suggested that Everton may be making contingency plans in the event of Stones’ departure, too, per Bundesliga pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft:

But they’re whispers that don’t fall in line with the Toffees’ longstanding stance on the player, which is that he’s not for sale. Everton manager Roberto Martinez has reiterated time and again that Stones will not leave the club this summer, per Phil McNulty of BBC Sport.

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On the face of it, an offer of £40 million may tease the Toffees into selling. After all, Martinez's squad is thinly spread, and that sum could be utilised to bring in some quality options in a lot of areas. But given Stones is one of only two senior centre-backs available for Everton, letting the player leave now at such a late stage would be a massive gamble.

Former Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall certainly doesn’t think the club should be selling the defender, per David Downie of The Blue Room:

Mourinho obviously sees something very special in Stones, which is evident by the fact Chelsea are willing to double their initial offer for the player, which was a reported £20 million, per Sky Sports News HQ.

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Getting him in alongside Pedro and new signing Baba Rahman would give everyone at Stamford Bridge a big lift. In addition, Stones would ensure that the Chelsea back four was in excellent shape for potentially a decade. It’s that kind of longevity that would make the proposed fee of £40 million seem like excellent value for money.

Everton looks an ideal club for Stones to continue developing, though. He is learning his craft under a bright manager, getting minutes on a weekly basis and a key component at the base of a burgeoning young side. It’s accepted he’ll move on to a truly elite team eventually; expect Chelsea to be insatiable in their attempts to ensure that happens this summer.