Roberto Martínez: Everton's best players won't leave the club in January

The Premier League's new TV deal has not only increased the financial power of the league's big clubs; it's also given a lot of leverage to mid-table and even small, relegation-threatened ones that now are able to negotiate bigger transfer fees for their players -- or even manage to keep hold of them for a long time. That's why Everton manager Roberto Martínez claims he isn't worried about losing John Stones, or any other good player from his club, in the next transfer window:

"I am not worried at all. Our best players will not be leaving in January."

"We're not in a position where we have to make financial decisions and our focus is on being as strong as we can together and keeping the continuity. From our point of view the window in January will be to see if there's anything to help our squad."

"We don't look on it as a window to be really involved whether that's buying or selling, it's more a matter of continuity. It's about developing competition for places between the ones we already have."

-Roberto Martínez; source: Football 365

Everton registered a post-tax loss of £4.1 million in the 2014-15 financial year, but they still should be able to maintain Stones for a while longer as they expect their revenue to grow with sponsorship deals, matchday proceeds and the new TV deal. Add in the very real possibility of at least three big clubs being interested in John Stones, and Chelsea should be preparing for an uphill battle in the next summer or winter transfer window.