According to reports from The Express this morning, Chelsea are readying a £34million bid for Everton defender John Stones.
The 21 year-old has emerged as one of the most promising home-grown defenders in the Premier League since moving to Goodison Park from Barnsley in January 2013, earning a place on England’s stand-by list for the 2014 World Cup and a nomination for the 2014 Golden Boy award.
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That dramatic rise has caught the attention of Chelsea and Manchester United, who are both considered to be long-term admirers of Stones’, alongside Manchester City.
The Premier League champions have already seen a £20million bid rejected by Everton, leading to a written response from the Goodison outfit, and there has been talk of an improved offer worth £26million taking place at some point this week.
But the Toffees allegedly want a Premier League record sum for a defender if they’re forced to part with Stones this summer, with the current record fee held by Manchester City’s £32million centre-back Eliaquim Mangala.
And according to The Express, Chelsea are now preparing to meet Everton’s demands by coughing up a whopping £34million for the four-cap international. That would make him Jose Mourinho’s most expensive signing since returning to Stamford Bridge in summer 2013.