Chelsea needs to keep Kurt Zouma at all costs

Amidst all the talk of a Kurt Zouma transfer away from Chelsea, the Blues need to do everything in their power to keep him in west London.

As Kurt Zouma enters the prime of his career, his professional life should be beginning to take some sort of shape. Unfortunately, due to a serious ACL injury and a series of indecisive managers, that is not the case. Zouma’s made some appearances in the Chelsea squad this season, but nowhere near enough to satisfy his hunger for playtime.

For this reason, the 25-year-old is being linked to moves elsewhere. Tottenham is keen to take the Frenchman off the Blues’ hands as Jose Mourinho looks to reunite with one of his favorite players. Chelsea should refuse any and all offers it receives for Zouma and the club should do all it can to keep the talented defender. Without Zouma, Chelsea is going to struggle mightily in defense going forward.

Zouma’s been Chelsea’s best defender this season and quite frankly, he looks like the only one who gives a stuff. His risky—but rewarding—95′ tackle inside the box is one of the most heroic acts performed by a Blues player this season. That’s just who Zouma is though. He’s got an intelligent football mind and much like his gaffer, he will stop at nothing to see Chelsea win. This has seen him become a fan favorite seemingly overnight.

He possesses so many other skills that are vital to the club’s success. His athletic prowess is unmatched by any other centerback in west London. Zouma’s aerial presence goes a long way in helping ease the minds of fans and managerial staff alike, something the Blues desperately needed at this point in time. The tenacity he plays with singles him out in defense, but for good reasons. Unlike Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger or famously, David Luiz before them, Zouma doesn’t lose focus. His brain always at work.

He’s also added so much to his game in recent seasons—from the gracefulness he glides down the pitch with when the ball is at his feet to his knack for reading the game. When in possession, Zouma has shown us all that the only thing he lacks on his day is a serious finishing ability. He’s got the capability of slicing through opposing midfields and picking out some smart passes in the final third. This is extremely rare for centerbacks; it shows off his adept approach to the game. The 25-year-old can make split-second decisions with a certain calmness under pressure.

The French defender also knows one important thing; he knows what it means to play for Chelsea. Zouma’s been a part of Chelsea since 2014 and although he’s spent a few years away on loan, his loyalties have always lied at Stamford Bridge. Manager Frank Lampard knows all about that and the importance of the passion Zouma has is not to be understated. When the team sheet is littered with fresh faces like Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and possibly the likes of Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell and others, Zouma needs to appear. While it may be a bit late in his career for him to blossom into the next John Terry, his familiarity and leadership will prove crucial to an otherwise unfamiliar starting team.

In recent years, the Blues have made a series of questionable judgement calls at the centerback position. Maurizio Sarri let Gary Cahill walk in favor of David Luiz, the club sold Nathan Ake and kept the current rotation around. Chelsea even loaned out Ethan Ampadu, which looks worse and worse after watching each match and evaluating the 19-year-old’s performance against Tottenham. Letting Zouma slip through the cracks at Stamford Bridge would be a monumental mistake, as well.

While it’s become difficult to doubt Lampard, allowing Zouma to leave would truly be puzzling. For the sake of defensive stability next season, fingers crossed the club reconsiders its stance on selling Zouma. If he were to leave, however, Chelsea should at least demand a much heftier fee than the one currently being reported.