According to a recent report by the Liverpool Echo, Everton are not too optimistic about their chances of landing Kurt Zouma from Chelsea permanently next summer. The French centre-back is currently playing on loan at Goodison Park but is set to return to Chelsea when his loan contract expires at the end of this campaign.
The same report has revealed that the Toffees’ chances of signing Zouma permanently, have come across a big stumbling block after the Pensioners were handed a transfer ban which won’t allow them to sign new players until the summer of 2020.
In a recent interview (via the Liverpool Echo), Everton boss Marco Silva shed some light on the matter and said, “Let’s see what we can do or not and what will be our decision,”
“It is also about the decision of Kurt and Chelsea so there will be three parts on his possible or not deal: us, Kurt and Chelsea.
“In the right moment we have to take our decision, they have to take a decision and Kurt also.
“Let’s see what we can do.”
Zouma has been a regular starter under Silva this season and has put in some solid displays alongside Michael Keane at the heart of the Everton backline. He has featured in 29 matches for the Merseyside outfit this term and has one goal and two assists to his name across all competitions. More importantly, the French defensive ace has made an average of 1 tackle and 1.4 interceptions per game for the Toffees in the Premier League (Stats taken from Whoscored.com).
The 24-year-old is playing some of the best football of his career at Goodison Park in this campaign so it would be a bitter pill to swallow for Everton to let go of their prized loan asset next summer. Zouma is strong, athletic and can command his own box with authority and conviction.
He has a very promising career ahead in European football so it would be a massive blow for the Toffees if they fail to land him at the end of this season. His departure will leave a massive hole in the Toffees backline which Marco Silva might struggle to address on the cheap especially due to the inflated nature of the transfer market these days.
With Phil Jagielka inching closer towards the end of his football career, the Merseyside club would need to add at least a couple of new defenders to their squad if they are to stand a chance of breaking into the Premier League’s Top 6 in the coming years.
