According to reports in the Express, Chelsea have returned to attempt to lure Everton defender John Stones to Stamford Bridge this January, with the Englishman being a target for the Blues in the summer, but a deal was never reached between the two clubs.
Stones had handed in a transfer request in the summer when interest from the Blues was concrete, but Roberto Martinez stood in the way of any potential deal, branding the youngster as an important member of his squad.
However, the current Premier League champions are reportedly interested in the 21-year-old yet again, submitting a £45m bid, according to Spanish media outlet, Fichajes.
The offer comes in at potentially the wrong time for Chelsea, as Spanish boss Martinez was adamant that he wouldn’t be selling any of his key players in the current transfer window.
It doesn’t matter if a club comes in. We created a squad during the summer to see how far we could go over the season.
We’ll never lose anyone in January, unless it’s somebody who hasn’t been playing and we need to find a solution.
Out of Everton’s 20 Premier League games, Stones has featured 18 times, including in the fixture against, at the time, Jose Mourinho’s side. He is currently proving why he is branded as one of England’s upcoming stars, and a move could do well for both parties involved, the player and the West London side.
