Everton midfielder Gareth Barry has urged team-mate John Stones to remain with the club so he can continue his footballing development.
The 21-year-old has been consistently linked with a move to Chelsea during the summer and earlier this week he handed in a transfer request at Goodison Park to try and force through a switch to the Premier Leaguechampions.
The Toffees have since rejected the request and midfielder Barry believes the defender, along with fellow youngster Ross Barkley, should remain on Merseyside because he feels there is no better place for them to learn the game.
He said: “Everton – for Ross and John – is a fantastic club, they’ve got a great manager here and they’re still young.
They’ve not reached the levels that they can reach, and they’re at a perfect club to be learning that. There’s no reason to go elsewhere at the moment.”
The 34-year-old is sympathetic that the former Barnsley player may have had his head turned by outside influences and he understands it is ultimately the player’s decision where he wants to play his football.
He added: “It’s always a difficult situation, the money that’s being thrown around like that. John will have had a lot of people in his ear, saying ‘do this, do that’, but ultimately it’s always the person’s decision.”
Stones has started all three of Everton’s league games so far this season and he is line to start when Roberto Martinez’s side travel to White Hart Lane to take on Tottenham on Saturday.
The visitors are outsiders at 4.00 to come away from north London with three points, whilst the hosts are on offer at 2.00 and the draw is quoted 3.50.
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