Stoke manager Tony Pulis has warned Chelsea off making a bid for goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
The Premier League champions, who are without Petr Cech for the start of the campaign due to injury, have made an enquiry into the former Portsmouth stopper’s availability.
But despite Begovic failing to take the Potters’ starting spot from Thomas Sorensen last season, he is still held in high regard by boss Pulis.
And he told The Sentinel: "They have been told he is not for sale. We are trying to bring players in, not let our better players go."