According to reports from The Daily Mail yesterday afternoon, Everton are determined to make potential suitors of John Stones wait until next summer to sign the England international.
The 21 year-old has emerged as the most sought-after centre-back in the Premier League over the last few months; Manchester City and Manchester United have both been linked with him by the tabloids, whilst champions Chelsea have already seen two bids rejected.
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But Toffees boss Roberto Martinez has become frustrated by the Blues’ continuous pursuit of the 6 foot 2 defender, accusing Jose Mourinho and John Terry of breaching FA rules by publicly speaking about the club’s interest in Stones, and he’s now expected to reject a third offer from Chelsea worth £30million.
That’s according to The Daily Mail, who also claim the Goodison outfit are determined to hold onto the former Barnsley youngster until next summer – when his value could sour at the European Championship if he becomes a key figure in Roy Hodgson’s plans for the England starting Xi throughout the course of the season.
However, it still seems unlikely the Merseysiders would be able to turn down a bid that trumps the Premier League record fee for a defender, currently held by Manchester City’s £32million man Eliaquim Mangala.