Everton manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that the club do not "fear" a fresh bid for John Stones in the January transfer window.

The Merseyside outfit fought off four bids, one of which came close to the £40m mark, from Chelsea in the summer.

Stones handed in a transfer request, but the club were able to keep hold of the England international, who has established himself as first-choice centre-back in the team.

"That is modern football, you don't fear that situation," the Daily Post quotes Martinez as saying. "What you fear is when you have to sell players to balance the books.

"That is the real problem as a manager when the chairman or owner of the club says we need to cash in on two or three players. That is not the situation at Everton.

"We have a very strong day to day running of the club. The chairman has been incredible in that respect. Any decision we make is for the benefit of the club and squad going forward."

The 21-year-old joined Everton from Barnsley in 2013.