John Stones to Chelsea: Jose Mourinho to revive interest in £40m Everton defender to prevent relegation battle

Stones handed in a transfer request in the summer to try and force a move to Chelsea, only to remain at Everton

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Chelsea are ready to resume their bid to sign Everton defender John Stones in an attempt to halt their dramatic slump this season that sees the defending Premier League champions in a relegation battle.

Jose Mourinho wanted to sign Stones in the summer, but despite their best efforts the Blues could not tempt the Toffees to part with the young England defender. Everton chairman, Bill Kenwright, rejected no fewer than four bids from Chelsea, the highest of which came in at nearly £40m, and despite handing in a transfer request Stones remained at Goodison Park where he has continued to impress this season.

Mourinho looked helpless as his side slumped to a 2-1 defeat by Leicester on Monday night, sending former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri’s side top of the Premier League and leaving the Blues just one point above the relegation zone in the process.

During the second half with his side 2-0 down, Mourinho elected to take off captain John Terry in order to bring on Cesc Fabregas and try and inject some attacking impetus, and the decision adds to growing suggestions that Terry may be past his best and no longer a first-choice option at Stamford Bridge if Mourinho can bring a player of Stones’s calibre in.

The Daily Express reports that Chelsea have already decided to make a renewed attempt to sign Stones in January, and will immediately go in at £40m to try and persuade Kenwright and Everton manager Roberto Martinez to part ways with the 21-year-old.

It’s added that Mourinho hopes a new offer will put pressure on Stones to try and force the move himself – as he did in the summer – but given that he has three-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract, Everton seem to hold all the cards in deciding where his future will play out.

With the Merseyside club just six points off the top four, Martinez has not given up hope of qualifying for the Champions League, especially given the recent form of former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku and Barcelona academy product Gerard Deulofeu.

The Belgium striker has admitted that he takes no pleasure in seeing his former side struggle, despite Chelsea deciding that Lukaku was not good enough to cut it among their squad. The 23-year-old, who left Stamford Bridge in 2014 under Mourinho’s second reign as manager, has already scored 12 Premier League goals this season, a total which is just three shy of Chelsea’s total this this season.

Speaking to Goal.com, Lukaku said: "Everyone has these moments I guess. This is the first time Mourinho is confronted with these kind of problems.

"How many coaches can say that? Not a lot, certainly not a lot. People should respect that. And everything Mourinho is experiencing now, is making him a better manager.

"It really hurts to see Chelsea at this moment. I was always a fan of the club and you don't want to see this as a former player. But I have faith in Mourinho that he will turn the situation around.

"The 2-0 win over Porto was very important, also for the dressing room. I don't think Mourinho is doing anything different than before. He still prepares his players in the best way, and his training sessions are very good."