Everton Director of Football Marcel Brands must turn his attention to some of his alternative targets, as The Sun understand Frank Lampard will not sanction Kurt Zouma’s permanent exit from Chelsea.
The French defender had been one of Brands and Marco Silva’s top targets throughout the summer, having impressed the boss and fans all around Merseyside during his season on loan from the Stamford Bridge side.
Silva even gave some Blues supporters hope in a deal being struck earlier in the month, when he shared that he was ‘hopeful’ in an agreement being made, having opened preliminary negotiations with the South West London outfit.
Brands and Silva had to wait on Chelsea to make a decision over whether or not they were going to sell Zouma amid a two-window transfer ban, though, as they were still searching for their third manager in a year following the departure of Maurizio Sarri.
Lampard has now returned to Stamford Bridge to take up the vacant hot seat, and one of his first acts of business has been to deny Zouma a summer return to Goodison Park.
The preliminary negotiations between Everton and Chelsea had offered a glimpse of optimism that Zouma could return to Merseyside as they slapped a £30million-plus asking price on the 24-year-old, who was open to wearing Royal Blue again next season.
Lampard seems to be keen on the international centre-half being a part of his plans, however, and will look to rebuff our advances after giving Ethan Ampadu the green light to secure a loan move away from Stamford Bridge.
Brands and Silva are thought to have alternatives in mind should their top target be taken from the board, with Torino ace Armando Izzo, Real Sociedad’s Diego Llorente and Genoa CFC star Davide Biraschi all linked recently.