John Stones could become one of the most expensive defenders in history if Chelsea are successful in their £26 million pursuit of the Everton defender.
Stones, who started his career as an apprentice at Barnsley has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence since moving to Goodison Park for £3 million in 2013.
Now a key member of Roberto Martinez’s team, the centre-back has earned four full England caps and may be set to join an elite list of defenders should a move to Stamford Bridge transpire.
Only 13 transfers involving defenders have seen a reported fee of £20m or more change hands.
Should the Stones deal go through at £26m it would leave him as the ninth most expensive defender ever.
The deal would eclipse Mehdi Benatia’s move from Roma to Bayern Munich last year (£24m), Lilian Thuram’s 2001 transfer from Lazio to Juventus (£23m), Alessandro Nesta’s 2002 move from Lazio to AC Milan (£21m) and the deal which took Ricardo Carvalho to Chelsea in 2004 (£20m)
The price tag though for Stones would still fall well short of David Luiz’s £50 million transfer from Chelsea to Paris St-Germain last year, while Eliaquim Mangala (£42m), Thiago Silva (£35m), Rio Ferdinand and Luke Shaw ( both £30m), Dani Alves (£28.5m), Fábio Coentrão and Marquinhos (both £27m) all cost more.
