Chelsea were European Champions, and Roberto Di Matteo was still trying to persuade the club he was the best man for the long haul.

In the end, the Italian failed to make that case, but as tough decisions were being taken about the managerial direction of the club, so too were deliberations being had about it's captain and main defensive force.

In autumn 2012, Chelsea thought they had found a strong candidate to succeed John Terry - a ball-playing centre half, with talent and conviction – and, crucially, he was English.

The lad was just 18 years old, and his name was John Stones.

Stones had just emerged from the Barnsley academy, and quickly moved onto the radar of a number of Premier League clubs.

When the January 2013 transfer window arrived, Terry was entering another of his periods on the sidelines: with an injury against Liverpool the previous November threatening to end his Chelsea career.

For reasons that remain not entirely clear, the Blues failed to pounce and Stones joined Everton, who had long been tracking the player, for £3million.

John Terry's Chelsea career highlights in pictures:

Chelsea did make a central defensive signing that window: the 15-year-old Ali Suljic, from Motala AIF in Sweden.

If interim boss Rafael Benitez' actions indicated Terry may soon be yesterday's man, the club that employed him seemed to be looking more towards the very long term.

The story of Stones at Everton is well known.

He matured well, and though far from being the finished product was always seen as a great prospect.

It was generally considered that his promise might be better teased-out under a more defensive coach than Roberto Martinez. Again, he received much attention from outside.

Chelsea returned in summer 2015 – Stones now aged 21.

The dealings here were not handled well: early bids from London appeared to consider that the Merseysiders would be grateful to turn a profit on their bargain buy.

But sources from both sides of the proposed deal suggest Toffees Chairman Bill Kenwright was not prepared to sell at any price.

Offers of £20m, £26m, and then £30m were rebuffed; a transfer request was put in by the player; and then nothing happened.

Martinez said Stones 'didn't mean' to ask to leave, and the following season was spent papering over the cracks. As Everton slumped, Stones' performances waned, and the Spaniard was ultimately sacked from his job.

Man City target: John Stones
Wanted previously by Jose Mourinho: Stones of Everton in action during the Barclays Premier League

The Blues went on trying to find Terry's successor – a hit and miss affair.

Kurt Zouma, earlier signed from St Etienne, benefited from the failure to get Stones: breaking through to become a first team regular in the early part of 2015-16, until his campaign was cruelly cut sort by a terrible knee injury.

But the signings immediately in the wake of the failed Stones bid were trickier to explain, and looked more like panic buys.

Papy Djilobodji was being hawked around the lower reaches of the Premier League when he was signed for £2.7m from Nantes, and had already been turned down by Norwich, Sunderland and Bournemouth.

He famously played less than a minute for Chelsea in the League Cup at Walsall, before going out on loan.

Matt Miazga was a prized name breaking through to the US men's national team, though looked pretty out of his depth in English football – he is expected to also join the Chelsea Loan Players WhatsApp group this summer.

While Michael Hector, a then 23-year-old, already with more clubs than Jack Nicklaus, was strangest of all – signed from Reading for £4.5m, and still without a competitive Blues appearance to his name.

If these were evidence of a Plan B, then they looked more like a Plan Z.

Stones remained the main prize, and big hints were dropped of a summer 2016 bid.

John Terry honours

4

Premier League

5

FA Cup

1

Champions League

3

League Cup

2

Community Shield

1

Europa League

The smart money was that, after a poor season, the bidding may have cooled a bit on the player.

But that failed to take into account the money madness that appears to have struck the Premier League.

If a fee of £25m on a largely unproven English prospect seemed outlandish, and that was the expected price tag this window, then Manchester City's impending £50m signing is little short of crazy.

Stones, clearly now bound for Eastlands, looks like a player who needs strong defensive discipline to flourish.

While Antonio Conte would be able to offer that, Chelsea simply aren't paying that sort of cash.

Pep Guardiola has turned out defenders who looked great for Barcelona – but can he do the same when it is Stoke City and West Ham who are racing at them, rather than Sporting de Gijon and Granada?

Stones has become a player whose reputation and potential appear to be worth more than his actual ability and achievements.

He will no doubt be successful at City, but a £50m player? Really?

Chelsea continue to search for Terry's long-term successor, but it will not be Stones.

Conte is likely to have to buy experience, rather than potential, with time running out on that quest.

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