Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Radja Nainggolan and John Stones Rumours

Radja Nainggolan has indicated he wants to stay at AS Roma next season, despite rumoured interest from Chelsea. Yet the Blues have been encouraged to try again for Everton centre-back John Stones.

Speaking to Italian source Il Tempo (h/t Charlie Phillippe of the Daily Express), Nainggolan made it clear he's happy to remain in Serie A. He also discussed the future of midfield team-mate, and fellow Chelsea target, Miralem Pjanic:

"

I want to stay, the club know my thoughts perfectly well.

If it [Pjanic leaving Roma] happens, I won't talk to him any more! Having said that, maybe in the end Pjanic will stay and I will go.

No, that's just a joke. I want to stay at Roma.

"

Both players are said to be on Chelsea's radar. Last month, Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph indicated the Stamford Bridge club had a good chance to acquire Belgian holding midfielder Nainggolan.

Yet this isn't the first time Nainggolan has rebuffed the idea he's ready to move to west London. Even before Law's report, the player took to Twitter (h/t the Daily Star's Alex Harris) to state he hadn't discussed a move away from the Italian capital.

As for Pjanic, Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard reported how Chelsea are ready to pay £30 million for the classy playmaker. But Italian source Mediaset (h/t Joe Short of the Sunday Express) recently reported Pjanic is actually close to moving to Serie A champions Juventus.

While incoming manager Antonio Conte is sure to overhaul Chelsea's squad, it's not clear the Blues even need this much midfield help. After all, this is a squad that still boasts talents in the middle such as schemer Cesc Fabregas, holding players Nemanja Matic and John Obi Mikel, as well as precocious youngster Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Conte would be better served adding to some threadbare resources up front, along with refreshing an ageing defence.

Sky Sports Pundit Talks up Stones Move

Paul Merson has told Sky Sports (h/t the Daily Star's Alex Harris) exactly which new defender Chelsea should pursue this summer: "I see Stones going to Chelsea personally."

Merson believes Stones' style of play, specifically his comfort on the ball, is perfectly suited to Conte's preferred tactics: "I think the way Conte plays with a back three, there's nobody better in Europe that could play in the middle of a three. I don't think there will be anybody better."

Darko Bandic/Associated Press

That's high praise for a player who has struggled mightily this season, when Stones' habit of playing out from the back has got him into trouble more than once for a disappointing Everton side.

Yet he's still only 21 and has plenty of room to improve. In fact, Toffees caretaker manager David Unsworth believes the best is yet to come from Stones, according to Phil Kirkbride of the Liverpool Echo: "Young lads make mistakes, and as a centre half - me being an old-school one myself - I don’t think you peak until you’re 29 or 30."

But Merson and Unsworth aren't the only former players who believe Stones will get better and better. Former Manchester United central defender Gary Pallister thinks Stones is the perfect fit for his old club, per the Independent's Simon Rice.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

But it's Chelsea with longer links to Stones. The club was credited with making four bids for the Everton ace last summer, according to Dominic Fifield of the Guardian.

Everton wouldn't take £40 million for Stones last year, and there's little reason to think their demands will have changed, despite a sub-par season for the player, not with billionaire Farhad Moshiri now controlling 49.9 percent of the Merseyside club.

If Chelsea are still keen, Conte will have to decide how much he rates Stones' potential to improve.

The new manager needs to add to the defence more than he needs to reshuffle midfield ahead of the new season.