CAHILL IN CALL FOR STONES SIGNING
JOHN STONES must not miss the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the Barclays Premier League champions as Chelsea prepare another bid for the 21-year-old defender.
That is the advice from Gary Cahill, who moved from Bolton to Stamford Bridge in 2012 for £7million. He insisted that the Everton man will not regret going to Chelsea and urged him to seize his chance to battle for trophies.
Cahill said: ‘In terms of ambition, if you’re a young player in the game, have played in the Premier League like he did a lot last year, it’s a very difficult move to turn down because you want to achieve the most you can in your time as a professional.
‘When a top club come calling, who you know will be firing on all fronts with competitions and medals, that’s ultimately what you want to be playing for. It’s hard to turn down.
‘He will look at the club, look at the players, and look at being involved in a squad like ours. Looking from the outset, you may not be sure how it’s going to go. But it’s one you can’t turn down, you have to grab it with both hands. Then you have to work as hard as you can to make it work.’
Everton are believed to be unhappy with Cahill’s comments and what they consider to be a concerted campaign to unsettle their young defender, but the Chelsea man went on to insist that Stones will be able to handle the pressure surrounding a potential multi-million pound move, with bidding expected to top £30m.
Speaking on Chelsea’s US tour, where the club launched a new community pitch in Harlem, Cahill said: ‘From what I have seen when I have been away with him for England, he is a genuinely nice guy; a down-to-earth lad. There is nothing big-time about him.
‘I’m sure he will be able to cope with the fee. Plus, with the right support around him, from the more experienced players in the squad and his family, I’m sure he’ll be fine.
‘He would fit into the group straight away. Potentially he can go to the very top. I think England will benefit too because he will get more experience playing in the Premier League and also the Champions League. I’m sure he will become a bigger and better player for that.
‘I noticed he was very comfortable on the ball from the first time I saw him with England. At the time you weren’t sure what position he was going to play in, right back, centre back and even in training he sometimes played in the holding midfield role. I am sure in the next few years he will fill out, learn a lot and become a fantastic player.
‘The Everton lads speak very highly of him, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines in particular. If you look at his attributes, he has a lot to offer.’
Even though Stones plays in the same position as Cahill, the 29-yearold centre half would welcome the youngster to Stamford Bridge.
Cahill said: ‘It is always the case at a top club that you are fighting for your position. Even the likes of John Terry, who has played at Chelsea and been part of the fixtures and fittings for more than 15 years, he is always fighting, every season he is fighting.
‘It will be no different now and it is healthy for the team with the number of games we play. It’s a mixture of the senior boys like JT, who has been there and done everything, and the young lads like Kurt Zouma and even me. I’m still learning too, so it’s great to have that mix together.’