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Everton Boss Roberto Martinez’s Words on John Stones Ring True

By Rucker Haringey

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Everton manager Roberto Martinez flatly denied any intentions of selling John Stones to Chelsea yesterday. It’s dangerous to trust what a manager says about transfers, but in this case we have every reason to take Martinez at his word.

Many clubs will pick up the phone and ring Everton about buying John Stones this January, but the right answer for the Toffees is an unequivocal no. Fortunately for Everton fans, this is just the response that Robert Martinez gave the press yesterday.

Of course, most managers can’t be trusted in the slightest to reveal their true transfer plans for January in November, but in this case it’s different. First, Martinez is generally a straight-forward manager even to a fault. He calls it like it is even when his opinion isn’t all that popular. He’s got a solid track record of speaking plainly on the record. That counts for something.

More importantly, the thought of Everton selling John Stones in January just doesn’t make logical sense for the club. He’s too important for what they are trying to accomplish. He’s the foundation of their back four and his presence is even more vital than usual given the injury to Phil Jagielka. If they were to sell Stones and not spend big to replace him, their defense would be left in shambles.

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Economically the sale of Stones at this point in time isn’t appealing. He’s just 21-years-old so they don’t need to be in any rush to cash-in on the young English international. Ideally, he’s exactly the type of player you want to build around, not sell to a Premier League competitor.

In the event that his head gets turned by a big contract offer by Chelsea, Manchester United or another club, then Everton still have prime years left where they can sell him for a big fee. This isn’t their last opportunity to land a big fee for the talented defender.

Everton’s current Premier League position also plays a role in this. They sit a mildly disappointing ninth in the current standings and while their fans aren’t really rumbling yet, a few losses could turn up the heat. Roberto Martinez is smart enough to understand this and he’ll be highly motivated to hold on to Stones as a result.

The most dangerous element of a John Stones sale for Everton would be the dangerous precedent it would set. If a big offer can tempt the Toffees to sell a prized young, English defender like Stones then certainly everyone else on the roster is available for a large fee as well. If Stones were to go, then Premier League clubs would descend on Everton like locusts to try to pry Ross Barkley away from Martinez’s side. That would be an epic disaster for Everton.

Everton fans should rest easy in January in regards to John Stones. That is, of course, unless Chelsea’s desperation drives them into a record-breaking offer from the exceptional defender. Absent of that, Roberto Martinez’s words on the subject ring true to the delight of the Toffee faithful.

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