According to Le10 Sport, Everton remain interested in Kurt Zouma and may have to battle Leicester City to procure his signature before the summer transfer window shuts.
Zouma started at centre-back for Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion and 2-0 defeat to Liverpool, but he was dropped for Thiago Silva in the Blues’ 3-3 draw with West Bromwich Albion and Fiyako Tomori was named on the bench, so his future at Stamford Bridge may be up in the air.
Do we have a chance to sign him?
Potentially. Zouma looked off the table after nailing down a regular place in Chelsea’s defence, but he may be surplus to requirements now Thiago Silva and Andreas Christiansen are back.
Tomori has recently returned to the matchday squad too, so there may not be room for Zouma. Antonio Rudiger also finds himself on the periphery, but Frank Lampard might leave himself short if both players are allowed to leave in the same transfer window.
Zouma made 43 appearances in all competitions last season and has three years remaining on his deal at Chelsea, so might he feel he’s still an important player? Le10 Sport say the 25-year-old is intrigued by the interest and will have been hurt being left out of the squad against West Brom, but it remains to be seen if he’s actually sold.
How much will Zouma cost?
Chelsea paid £13.14m to sign Zouma from AS Saint-Etienne in 2014. The French international has gone on to make 117 appearances across the board, scoring six goals with six assists, and is now worth £25.2m with Transfermarkt. CIES Football Observatory believe his market value is €30m-€40m (£27.26m-£36.3m). Le10 Sport say Zouma’s asking price of €40m (£36.3m) and he earns more than £2m-a-year at Chelsea, so he won’t come cheap.
We know what to expect from Zouma after his successful loan at Everton (36 appearances, 2 goals, 2 assists) in 2018/19, however, so it would be money well spent. Whether he’s willing to leave Chelsea permanently remains to be seen.
The 25-year-old has spent six years at the Bridge and was a regular only a week ago, so is he really calling time on his Chelsea career so soon?
In other news, Fabian Delph could leave Everton, but the terms make no sense