According to reports from The Express this morning, Roberto Martinez has once again insisted that Everton do not intend to sell in-demand centre-back John Stones this summer.
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 nomination for the 2014 Golden Boy award and forging an impressive centre-back partnership with Phil Jagielka.
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That’s generated plenty of interest from the Premier League’s top clubs. Front-runners Chelsea have already seen two bids rejected by the Goodison outfit, Manchester United have informed Stones of their interest in his services and Manchester City have also been linked.
It’s believed the Toffees could be privately demanding as much as £34million for the England international. But publicly, Goodison gaffer Roberto Martinez continues to insist that Stones is still an integral component of his long-term plans.
As quoted by The Express, the Spaniard has told reporters; “Clearly he is a player that we admire, clearly that is going to be the same in other clubs.
“They are going to be admiring his ability and what he is as a footballer but he is an Everton player and as you can imagine he is a big part of what we are trying to achieve in the future,” he added.