Kurt Zouma waiting on formal league approval to begin Everton loan

Kurt Zouma is just waiting for formal approval from the Premier League before starting a season-long loan to Everton. The reason the deal still doesn’t have the league’s stamp of approval is that Chelsea and the Toffees waited until the last two hours in the transfer window to file the bare-bones “deal sheet” that outlines the agreement. The rules then allow clubs to work for two more hours to finalize the details.

An announcement was expected later on Thursday, with Sky Sports reporter Alan Meyers, who covers the Everton beat, gamely hanging on at their training ground in hopes of wrapping up what’s been a busy day for the Blue side of Liverpool.

But no word was forthcoming and eventually Everton evidently informed the remaining media that they wouldn’t hear anything until Friday.

Whether that’s because Everton have a mass of paperwork to go through, having also landed Barcelona’s Yerry Mina (purchase) and Andre Gomes (loan), or because the Premier League office was swamped by a busy last day (looking at you, Fulham), or because of some other delay (club media, video, etc.) is unknown. There is no stipulation from the league offices on how soon after an agreement announcements have to be made.

But as it stands, Happy will have to wait for a loan he’s said to be keen on, despite Mina also arriving to bolster Everton’s threadbare back line.