Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea chasing Everton starlet Stones

Young Everton centre back John Stones is attracting the interest of the Premier League heavyweights with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur all pondering a move for the youngster.

According to report, the 20 year old figures high on the shopping list for several big clubs looking to invest in young defenders with Mauricio Pochettino, the new Tottenham Hotspur manager a keen admirer of the player as well as Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger.

The reports stated that Spurs are currently leading the race to sign the England international and the new manager is eyeing the youngster as a replacement for Belgian centre back Jan Vertonghen who has been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane.

Stones joined Everton only last summer from Barnsley from the Championship for a fee of around £ 3 million but with the way he has performed, the Toffees can recoup all that money and make a huge profit on their investment.

The England man played 21 games for the Toffees last season and was so impressive that he was taken with the England side for the World Cup preparations in the United States of America by Roy Hodgson, although he missed out on the final squad.

Roberto Martinez, the Everton manager are keen to hold on to the player for a couple of more seasons and the club is in a strong financial footing after finishing in the top five last season and is under no pressure to sell one of his prized assets.

And that means it will take a bid of stratospheric amounts in order to make the club sell one of the brightest young prospects in defense that the English game has seen since a fresh faced Rio Ferdinand burst on to the scene almost 20 years back.