• Premier League

Stoke want £3m for Kenwyne Jones

Kenwyne Jones will not be allowed to leave Stoke City unless potential buyers meet the club's £3 million valuation, despite the forward going on strike.

Jones has been fined two weeks' wages, around £80,000, by Stoke after texting manager Mark Hughes to say he was unavailable to play against Liverpool on Sunday.

Stoke chairman Peter Coates, chief executive Tony Scholes and manager Mark Hughes have been in negotiations regarding the 29-year-old and have been angered by his attitude as Jones appears to be trying to force through a transfer away from the Britannia Stadium.

Everton are believed to be one of the clubs trying to lure the Trinidad & Tobago international away, but Stoke sources insist that there has been no official contact from the Merseyside club.

ESPN sources have confirmed Jones sent a text to Hughes on Saturday, 24 hours before the Liverpool game, stating that he would be unavailable for the fixture and Stoke are now considering their next move.

Jones has six months left on his contract and is looking to write off the remainder of his deal to be allowed to move onto another club, but Stoke are prepared to dig their heels in.

Cutting Jones free this month would save around £1 million on wages for the remainder of the deal, but they are not prepared to allow the player to leave on a free transfer, with Coates eager to recoup a significant portion of the cash they paid when signing him from Sunderland for £8 million in 2010.

Scholes and Hughes have already held meetings with Jones and his representatives, with the club insisting the striker has committed a breach of contract.

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