Everton, Tottenham Hotspur ‘keeping close tabs’ on Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma — report

According to a report from French newspaper L’Équipe (via Inside Futbol), Everton have joined Tottenham in monitoring the situation of Kurt Zouma at Chelsea.

Zouma has become a key player for the Blues this season, leading the team in centre back minutes and setting a new Chelsea-career high of 33 appearances with at least ten matches still to go. Having now fully recovered from the devastating 2016 ACL injury that derailed his career for a couple years, the 25-year-old took advantage of a transfer ban, injuries to others, as well as the sudden departure of David Luiz last summer to stake a claim at the Bridge after a couple years out on loan.

The second of those loans was at Everton, who have continued to pine for him ever since and had been hoping at the time to make his stay permanent, even. More recently, former Chelsea head coach José Mourinho, who brought Zouma to Chelsea in the first place, had become interested in a reunion. Now Everton are back as well, “keeping close tabs” on Zouma’s situation.

Despite the interest, there seems to be little actual indication of Zouma (or any other centre back) leaving Chelsea this summer. Zouma himself has three years left on his contract and is just starting to enter the prime years of his career. Chelsea’s centre backs might be in need of upgrading, but our attentions seem to be focused on the other end of the pitch. Fortunately, most of our centre backs are still quite young and thus could still improve and learn — including Zouma.