West Ham United have reportedly made Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma their primary target in the summer transfer window.
The Hammers have made just two summer signings so far—Craig Dawson and Alphonse Areola. David Moyes is keen on strengthening his team’s defensive options before the 2021/22 season kicks off.
According to Sky Sports, West Ham are in talks with Chelsea over a move for Kurt Zouma, but a deal looks difficult for the east Londoners to pull off at the moment. Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic is also a target for David Moyes’ club.
Kurt Zouma, 26, lost his place in the Chelsea starting XI under manager Thomas Tuchel, who arrived at the club as a replacement for Frank Lampard in January. Yet, he played a massive role in helping the Blues win the coveted Champions League trophy, with the Frenchman notably putting in a strong performance in the 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge.
Having fallen down the defensive pecking order at Stamford Bridge, Zouma is understood to be keen on staying in England and looking forward to a move to West Ham. However, the Hammers are unwilling to match Chelsea’s £25m asking price, while the defender’s wages could also prove to be a sticking point.
Should West Ham meet Chelsea’s £25m valuation for Kurt Zouma?
West Ham enjoyed a great 2020/21 Premier League campaign as they managed to clinch Europa League qualification. David Moyes has done an excellent job at the London Stadium and deserves full backing from the club’s hierarchy in the ongoing transfer window. The Hammers have tied Moyes down to a new contract and must provide him with the tools to succeed in the upcoming season.
As West Ham will be playing in Europe, they’ll need a bigger and better squad to compete on all fronts. Moyes currently has a decent set of players at his disposal, but to go deep in the Europa League and perhaps win a domestic cup competition, he must add more depth to his squad.
As aforementioned, the Scotsman has prioritised adding a centre-half to his ranks. He is interested in signing Kurt Zouma, who struggled for game time last season and managed only 24 league appearances for Chelsea.
The Frenchman is 26-years-old and is approaching the peak years of his career. He would want to play regularly and West Ham are willing to provide him with that platform. Strong in the air and tenacious in the tackle, Kurt Zouma would walk straight into Moyes’ starting XI at West Ham. In fact, he could seamlessly slot into Moyes’ three-man backline and play his natural game of bringing the ball out from the back and spreading it across to his teammates.
Having played over 150 games for Chelsea, as well as spending time on loan with Stoke City and Everton, Zouma’s top-flight experience is undeniable and that could come in handy for the Hammers. Also, he would add some much-needed pace and freshness to West Ham’s backline that got exposed a number of times due to a severe lack of pace and agility last season.
Thus, West Ham must not hesitate to meet Chelsea’s reported £25m valuation for Kurt Zouma, who has the experience and skill-set to make an immediate impact at the London Stadium.
