Everton want to sign ex-Blues loanee Kurt Zouma from Chelsea
Everton are in the hunt to sign their former loanee defender Kurt Zouma from Chelsea, according to French journalist Julien Maynard.
The Telefoot1 reporter, writing on his verified Twitter account which is followed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, made the claim on Friday afternoon [09/07/21] over the French international who finished his Euro 2020 duties last week.
He wrote: “Kurt Zouma is expected to leave Chelsea this summer. In England, Wolverhampton positioned themselves but the player declined. Everton and Tottenham are interested, as are Roma. Jose Mourinho would like to get the loan (with OA) of the defender.”
Return on the cards?
Zouma spent the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign on loan at Everton, making 32 Premier League appearances and scoring twice, with his first goal coming at Goodison Park against Bournemouth in January 2019.
However, he was required to return to parent club Chelsea the following season and he played 43 times in all competitions, before featuring 36 times in the 2020/21 campaign.
He scored five goals in just 24 Premier League appearances and helped the London club to win the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel, but he was a peripheral figure towards the concluding weeks of the season, starting just four of their last 15 games.
With Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen all ahead of him in the Chelsea central defensive pecking order, plus the likes of Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta who can operate in a back three, it’s no wonder that Zouma is primed for the exit door this summer.
Everton certainly possess a good number of central defenders, but only one of them has truly convinced in Ben Godfrey.
Mason Holgate and Michael Keane made their fair share of errors last season while Yerry Mina’s form has been inconsistent allied to a number of niggling injuries, so it’s certainly an area we could be looking to improve.
New Blues boss Rafa Benitez is famed for his strong defensive record and imperious central defenders like Roberto Ayala and Carlos Marchena, so he will be looking to aim for a similar calibre at Everton.
A central defender should not be top of our priorities, but if someone can be shifted, then the six-foot-three-inch powerhouse Zouma would be a brilliant addition, and he will have the added comfort of already knowing his surroundings.
In other Everton news, the Blues are set to transfer list this big-money 45-cap international star in pursuit of a new signing.
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