"?England international defender John Stones could be forced to stay at Everton for another season at least, because the club are determined to hold on to their prized assets.
The "?Mirror reports that incoming Everton boss Ronald Koeman accepts that the club may have to sell top scorer Romelu Lukaku, but the Dutchman is determined to keep both Stones and Ross Barkley on board at Goodison despite heavy interest from elsewhere.
While speculation over Barkley's future has died down of late, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona have all been linked with a summer swoop for 22-year-old Stones.
Everton turned down a series of offers from Chelsea last summer for the player, and while it had been expected he'd depart this time around, Everton have changed their stance.
Instead, they are hopeful that the new investment in the club and change in management will convince both players to put pen to paper on new contracts, enabling the Toffees to use the two as players to build their team around in the long term.
Joe Hart with a rabona-nutmeg on John Stones in England training! ??? (via @England) https://t.co/AhQKUEF2xL
Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are reported to be interested in bringing Stones to Manchester, but the former is set to complete a deal to sign Villarreal defender Eric Bailly in the coming days - making United's need for a new centre half far less urgent.
Everton are hopeful Stones will sit down to talk with Koeman once he returns from international duty with England, and believe they have the means to keep him at the club because of the new investment from Farhad Moshiri.
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