The Everton manager, Roberto Martínez, is adamant John Stones will not be sold and insists the Barnsley defender Mason Holgate is not being signed as a replacement.
The England centre-back Stones has been the subject of two failed bids from Chelsea, the last worth £26m, but José Mourinho shows no signs of giving up his pursuit while Manchester United and Manchester City have also been linked with the 21-year-old. But Martínez is determined to hang on to one of his key players.
“I have said before the player is not for sale and that is the end of it,” he said. “Our situation has been very clear from the beginning. We are not a selling club who will lose our best performers.
“His performance at the weekend was very strong and for a young man to come up with that leadership is a real sign of what he is as a footballer.
“He is very important player for us and we are looking forward to seeing the best of John over the next few seasons, not just the next few weeks.”
Holgate’s arrival from Barnsley, Stones’ former club, for a reported initial £1m fee has already led to comparisons being made with the England international but Martínez was keen to play those down.
“Mason, at 18, has already played 20 games in League One and that shows the potential he has,” he said.
“He will be a phenomenal young prospect coming into that golden generation we feel we have at the club and he will be a good one for the future.
“Mason is a completely different type of player to John but in terms of personality and character they are very similar.”
Everton will also find out later on Thursday how long their left-back Leighton Baines is likely to be out after he re-injured the ankle he had an operation on towards the end of last season.
“We will get the results [of the scan] and we will get a clear idea of the problem,” Martínez said. “Because of the previous surgery he had in that area it is an extra sensitive part of his body so we need to make sure we are clear with the extent of the injury.”
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