In a recent tweet, French journalist Julien Maynard mentioned that West Ham United want to finalize a move to sign Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma. It is understood that the discussions between the two London clubs are progressing well but the Hammers are yet to agree on a deal for him this month.
https://twitter.com/JulienMaynard/status/1430156324759904257
Zouma’s Decent Run Of Form At West London Last Season
Zouma managed to help Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League trophy in the previous campaign and proved himself to be a solid defender at the heart of Thomas Tuchel’s defence. The Lyon-born defensive ace took part in 36 matches for the Blues last season in multiple competitions.
The France international caught the eye by averaging 0.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 3.8 clearances per game in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign. He was an accurate distributor of the ball after completing 90.9% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Currently, Zouma is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge as he has lost his first-team privileges under Tuchel. Therefore, the Chelsea centre-half has every reason to be encouraged by the prospect of joining the Hammers this summer in search of more game time in the coming seasons.
Is Zouma A Good Option For The Hammers?
Zouma can use his powerful 1.90m frame to outmuscle the opposition attackers in the air and command his penalty box with authority. He is a tidy passer of the ball and enjoys playing his way out from the back. The French talent can time his tackles well to secure possession back for his team. The 26-year-old can even sense the danger quickly and is not afraid to clear the danger when the opposition are on the front foot.
There is no doubt that West Ham can use a player of Zouma’s skillset at the London Stadium as he could help them make a strong push for a top-six finish in the Premier League this season. With already two wins under their belt, David Moyes’ men have made a promising start to this campaign, so it makes sense for them to strengthen their squad even more by adding Zouma so that they can keep themselves at the upper echelons of the league table.
At 26, Zouma is about to enter his prime and could offer his best years to West Ham if Moyes can arrange a move to bring him to the London Stadium before the end of this month. The Frenchman will be a decent option for the Hammers as he will add some serious competition for Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson at the English capital over the next few seasons. His addition will also give Moyes the option to play Aaron Cresswell in his usual left-back position when West Ham are playing with three central defenders at the back.
