Stones has been a revelation in the back four for the Toffees this season, and his form has prompted interest from Mourinho who could be on the look out for a long term replacement for captain John Terry.
Despite being just 19-years-old, Chelsea are reportedly ready to offer £20million for the services of Stones, who only made his professional debut two years ago.
Everton will be reluctant to let go of the England Under 21 defender having only signed him from Championship side Barnsley in January 2013.
Completing a £3million deal on the final day of the winter transfer window, Stones was David Moyes’ last signing as Everton boss when he picked the Toffees over Wigan Athletic – then managed by his current boss Roberto Martinez.
With Stones rejecting Martinez once already in his short career, the Spanish gaffer will be determined not to lose his man again, even if do Chelsea come calling with a mega-bucks offer.
Talk of a move to Stamford Bridge emphasises the huge strides made by Stones, who only made his first Premier League start on New Years Day.
A meteoric rise for the Yorkshire-born teenager could be completed with a call-up to Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad.
Stones may only have 20 Premier League appearances under his belt, but his calmness in possession, strength and pace, and a reading of the game that few players his age possess, has seen him emerge as a genuine contender for one of the 23 spots on the plane to Brazil.
Written by Steve Milne
