OPINION
There have been few Everton players who have covered themselves in glory recently, with the club languishing in ninth in the Premier League.
The Toffees have been hugely underwhelming under Marco Silva, and even after the vast sums of money that were spent last summer, there are times when the squad looks in need of a complete overhaul yet again.
One man who has stepped up to the plate, however, has been Kurt Zouma. Whereas Yerry Mina and Michael Keane have fluctuated drastically in their form, Zouma has been dependable and impressive since arriving on loan from Chelsea.
The Frenchman has been so good, in fact, that it would be no surprise if the Blues attempt to make his switch to Goodison Park permanent.
That task would have been a whole lot easier until his parent club were slapped with two window transfer ban this morning by FIFA, as reported by the BBC.
The club plan to appeal the decision, and that could give them minor reprieve this summer, but ultimately it could have a massive effect on the way they conduct their business, and how readily they are willing to allow players to leave.
That could be a real kick in the teeth for Everton, who no doubt will have earmarked Zouma as the ideal permanent solution to a defence that continues to look shaky year after year.
There’s no saying that it would stop Chelsea selling, or that Everton would even go through with a permanent approach in the first place, but certainly it could throw a spanner in the works for the Toffees.