Martinez: Chelsea pursuit will hit Stones wall
John Stones is attracting interest from Chelsea, provoking a strong reaction from Everton manager Roberto Martinez.
Roberto Martinez has issued a hands-off warning to Chelsea as the Premier League champions pursue Everton defender John Stones.
It is reported that Chelsea made a bid for the 21-year-old England centre-half on Thursday that Everton swiftly rejected.
And Martinez wants the matter to end there, declaring: "He is an Everton player. Full stop."
Speaking after Saturday's 3-1 Asia Trophy final loss to Arsenal, the Spanish manager said: "First of all, we pride ourselves in playing a certain way and educating our young players in a manner that means they are always going to get attention from elsewhere.
"That is a compliment, a footballing compliment.
"The other side is the disappointment in seeing a football club making it [the bid for Stones] so open. I don't think that is the way we do it at Everton.
"We don't speak about a player when he is registered at another club and there is no issue from our point of view – John Stones is an Everton player full stop.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"We are not a selling club in that respect."
Stones, who moved to Goodison Park from Barnsley in January 2013, has won four England caps.
‘Arteta, Alonso, Emery, me… none of us were physical players – we needed the understanding of the game. That probably helped us move into management’: Premier League boss reveals reasons for natural career progression
‘England have the players to win the World Cup – it’ll be tough for Thomas Tuchel to do a bad job, with the squad he has at his disposal’ Former Three Lions winger backs new boss after gentle qualifying draw