EXCLUSIVE: Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola in £50m battle for John Stones

JOSE MOURINHO and Pep Guardiola are locked in a £50m battle to sign John Stones.

By Jeremy Cross, Chief Sports Writer

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BATTLE: The two managers are going head-to-head for John Stones

Mourinho tried and failed to land Stones last summer while at Chelsea and has renewed his interest now he is in charge at Manchester United.

But now it has emerged that Manchester City boss and bitter rival Guardiola is set to target the Everton defender as well after missing out on Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte.

Guardiola wanted Laporte, despite the fact he has been out of action with a broken leg and dislocated ankle.

But the Spaniard was snubbed when Laporte decided to sign a new deal with Bilbao instead.

It is understood Laporte now has a £55m buy-out clause in his contract that Guardiola has no interest in activating.

Instead he will attempt to lure England defender Stones to the Etihad and steal him from under the nose of Mourinho.

Guardiola believes Stones can be the long-term successor to Vincent Kompany, who continues to struggle with serious injury problems.

It sets up the prospect of the two biggest managers in the world going head-to-head this summer for one of the brightest prospects in English football.

Mourinho had three bids of up to £40m rejected by the Toffeees last summer, who held firm to keep hold of one of their prize assets.

But Mourinho remains a huge admirer of the 22-year-old and knows he must strengthen his defence as he looks to rebuild a title-winning side at Old Trafford.

Mourinho has been given £200m to spend on new signings and is on a mission to bring in some marquee names.

Stones is on his list of targets along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while Mourinho has already landed Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly in a £30m deal.

Mourinho is not prepared to miss out on getting Stones again - let alone to Guardiola - and will offer him a long-term deal worth around £150,000-a-week that he thinks the centre back will not be able to turn down.

News that both Manchester giants are locked in a battle to land Stones will not impress England boss Roy Hodgson.

Stones is in France with the Three Lions for Euro 2016 and Hodgson is desperate for his stars not to be distracted during the tournament.