Everton are locked in a last-ditch battle with Manchester United to sign Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma, according to L’Equipe.
The French sports newspaper claim in their print edition (Thursday, page four) that Marco Silva’s side have made a loan offer for the France international and are in negotiations.
L’Equipe report United have opened talks over a permanent deal for Zouma and Chelsea are now weighing up whether to offload the 23-year-old to a direct rival.
OPINION
Everton fans will be forgiven for being a little disappointed if their club’s extensive efforts to sign a centre-back ends with the loan arrival of a player fifth or sixth in the Chelsea pecking order. Sure, Zouma has decent Premier League experience, two caps for World Cup winners France and, aged 23, is at an age where he still has plenty of room for improvement. But he has struggled to rediscover his best form after a year out with a knee injury and his spell on loan at Stoke City last season ended in relegation. The player’s wages are within range (Spotrac report he earns £40,000-a-week at Chelsea), but there is a sense he would be second best after the pursuits of Barcelona commander Yerry Mina, Newcastle United skipper Jamaal Lascelles and Manchester United’s Marcos Rojo. However, if Zouma were to join in addition to Mina or another A-grade option, that would be mighty fine business from the Toffees.