On the transfer deadline day, Chelsea signed talented Kurt Zouma from the French St. Etienne squad for a fee of 12 million pounds on a five-and-a-half year deal, and immediately loaned him back to his previous team.
Young Zouma is a central defender, only 19-years-old, and is regarded as one of the most perspective players in Europe, by the choice of the prestige Guardian.
Kurt is a France youth international, he played for all national selections from under-16 to under-21. He debuted for St. Etienne back in 2011, when he was only 16.
It is remarkable to see such a young lad to play with such a physical presence. He is 190 cm tall and he weighs 90 kg, and even at that size, he was maybe the fastest center back in Ligue 1. So, when we look at his physical attributes, he is really a unique player, and if he continues to evolve in this pace, he could be a real “monster” on the field.
Zouma has had one incident so far in his career. He was banned for 10 games following a tackle that left Sochaux’s Thomas Guerbet with a broken right leg and a dislocated ankle.
But, that ban obviously changed him, since after his return he has been playing with more awareness, and his tackling efficiency is the biggest in his career. Zouma is also a solid force in aerial duels, but he lacks technique when it comes to scoring goals from set pieces. However, considering his young age, it is expected that he will make huge progress in that field throughout his career.
Zouma is considered by Mourinho as one of the best prospects among defenders in the world. He sees him as a replacement for Chelsea’s captain John Terry in the forthcoming years.
