Manchester United transfer news: Jose Mourinho determined to beat Chelsea to £50m John Stones

Set on Stones: Mourinho was left frustrated after failing to sign him for Chelsea last summer
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Simon Johnson25 May 2016

Jose Mourinho is determined to beat Chelsea in the race to sign Everton’s in-demand England centre-half John Stones for his new club, Manchester United.

Mourinho was expected to complete negotiations today to become the new manager at Old Trafford and is already working on a number of transfer targets — with £50million-rated Stones top of the list.

The former Stamford Bridge boss was left frustrated last summer as Chelsea had four bids for the 21-year-old rejected by Everton. The 53-year-old, however, has made improving the back four one of his first tasks at United and will make his pursuit of Stones a priority.

While he also faces stiff competition from Manchester City and Barcelona, Mourinho hopes he can succeed where Chelsea failed last year.

Last summer, Stones made it clear to Everton he wanted to move to west London but the Blues’ negotiation tactics backfired. Everton were incensed after Chelsea, who had no competition for his signature at the time, made what they considered to be a derisory opening bid of just £20m in July.

Three more offers followed — the last of which was £37m — but were also rejected. That final offer, which was closer to Everton’s valuation, arrived in late August and came far too late for a change of heart by the Merseyside club.

Mourinho wanted Stones in place for the start of pre-season and is believed to have been frustrated at the speed in which talks progressed.

The Portuguese does not want a similar scenario this summer and is keen for United to start working on a deal straight away.

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Chelsea are considering making a fifth attempt to sign Stones, despite his struggle for form in the past six months.

However, Everton are looking to capitalise on the situation by demanding the large fee and, as Standard Sport revealed last month Chelsea are reluctant to get involved in a bidding war. Everton are also under less pressure to sell following the investment of new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.

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Incoming Chelsea coach Antonio Conte wants to improve the back four at Stamford Bridge, too, and has recommended cheaper options to the board in Leonardo Bonucci, Kostas Manolas, Antonio Rudiger and Kalidou Koulibaly.

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