Barcelona are pulling out of the battle for Everton defender John Stones.

El Mundo Deportivo says their interest in defender Stones has cooled due to the big price tag Everton have placed on the England star.

The La Liga champions are long-term admirers of the 22-year-old, along with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.

But Stones is under contract at Goodison until 2019 and having snubbed several huge bids from Chelsea last August, Everton are still determined to keep hold of the player, leaving Barcelona to look elsewhere at alternative defensive options.