Everton believe that Manchester City and Chelsea are ‘desperate’ enough to cave in their resistance to pay a joint fee of £125million for John Stones and Romelu Lukaku.
The Toffees have told Antonio Conte’s Londoners that Lukaku is going nowhere unless they pay a British-record £75m.
And City’s hopes of landing Stones hinges on them paying Everton’s £50m asking price for the England defender.
There is a confidence inside Goodison that both suitors will bow to their demands.
There are fears at Stamford Bridge that Diego Costa won’t recapture the form that made him a Chelsea hero two years ago and that the Spanish striker could become trouble because he wants to rejoin Atletico Madrid.
By Ben Kelly – @benkelly_10