Jose Mourinho has hinted that Chelsea may pull out of the race to land Everton defender John Stones.
The England international is thought to have been the subject of two failed bids by the Blues already this summer.
Chelsea are said to have offered £26m to Everton for their star centre-back, but widespread reports claim that Stones is rated closer to the £32m mark.
Mourinho has now suggested that the Premier League champions could look elsewhere as they aim to strengthen their defensive options for the new campaign.
"The market sometimes has no rules," ESPN quotes the Portuguese as saying. "We, as Chelsea, we make our own rules.
"To make our own rules is to evaluate the players, and to know the players' value, and to know when we have to stop and turn to another side and think in another option."
Chelsea have just five senior defenders to choose from heading into the new campaign, and Mourinho admits further depth will be needed.
"Five is not enough. That's obvious," he said. "We cannot go to the Premier League with five defenders. That's our weakness. The quality is good, but the numbers are not enough."
Stones made 23 Premier League starts for Everton last season.
Daniel Lewis
