Chelsea line up £26m bid for Everton defender John Stones

Chelsea are keen on signing Everton defender John Stones despite having their first £20m bid rejected by the Merseyside side.

The blues are preparing a new £26m bid for the young defender as Jose Mourinho is keen on signing a new defender to complete his team ahead of the new season.

While Chelsea chiefs admit to receiving a letter from Everton, they maintain that they were not warned that there was no price at which the Merseysiders would sell.

As a result Chelsea will test the resolve of the Toffees again this week and are confident that they will eventually get their man.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez has voiced his anger and the bitter wrangle over the past few days has soured the previously good relationship between the two clubs.

But Chelsea believe they are fully entitled to bid for Stones and maintain they have done nothing wrong.

It is understood, as revealed by Mirror, that the Champions could yet be forced into breaking the British transfer record - set by Manchester City’s £31.million deal last summer for Eliaquim Mangala.