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Despite being the only center back contracted to Chelsea beyond just the upcoming season, Kurt Zouma could be leaving the club this summer. He’s fallen down the pecking order in the second half of last season, starting just 7 of our last 21 league games, and that despite Thomas Tuchel utilizing three center backs. It may be a rapidly aging backline that may be changing drastically in the next couple years, but Zouma’s in his prime and ready to not sit on the bench now.
A handful of Premier League teams have already been linked, but perhaps the most likely destination remains (José Mourinho’s) AS Roma, as first rumored back in May already. Mourinho gave Zouma his Chelsea debut in 2014 and held him up as proof that he doesn’t despise young players.
However, Chelsea aren’t trying to give the now 26-year-old Zouma away for peanuts, and according to RMC Sport’s Loïc Tanzi, we’re not interested in any sort of loan arrangement. If the Giallorossi are serious, they’re going to have to pony up €30m.
L’AS Rome aimerait recruter Kurt Zouma (Chelsea) en prêt. José Mourinho aime beaucoup le défenseur français mais le club londonien ne souhaite pas prêter l’ancien joueur de Saint-Etienne pour l’instant et demande plus de 30 millions d’euros pour le libérer #Mercato #RMCLive
— Loïc Tanzi (@Tanziloic) July 13, 2021
If Zouma does end up leaving, we have multiple candidates to fill his spot in the team, including loan returness Marc Guehi and Malang Sarr. Fellow loanees Ethan Ampadu and Trevoh Chalobah could also play center back while providing options at defensive midfield as well. Hopefully at least one of those four gets to stick around the first-team for a while.