The ESPN FC YouTube channel recently uploaded an episode of ‘Transfer Rater’ featuring ex-Liverpool player and current ESPN pundit Steve Nicol and he discussed some of the latest transfer rumours surrounding the Premier League during this show, including the rumours linking Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma with a move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho previously brought Zouma to England when he was the manager of Chelsea between June 2013 and December 2015. The Portuguese coach’s current club, Spurs, have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old in recent weeks, with the Express reporting that the Tottenham manager is ‘confident’ of securing the French defender’s signature in a £25m deal.
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Nicol shared his thoughts on this potential transfer during his recent appearance on ESPN FC’s Transfer Rater, where he shared some criticism for Zouma, saying: “No offence, Kurt Zouma’s a solid centre-back, but that’s all he is, and Tottenham need to be pushing to get back in the Champions League at the very least, and unfortunately I don’t think Kurt Zouma’s part of that.
“There will be a reason why Chelsea would let Zouma go and that’s because he’s not pushing them into the Champions League or solidifying them in the Champions League.
“Kurt Zouma’s a good Premier League player, I just don’t think he’s top half of the table level.”
Would Kurt Zouma improve Spurs' defence?YES
NO
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TIF Thoughts…
According to WhoScored, Zouma has completed the joint-highest number of interceptions of any Chelsea player during the 2019/20 Premier League campaign. The defender has also won more aerial duels than any other Blues player in the league this season, in addition to having completed the second-highest number of passes per game and the third-highest number of long balls per game of any Chelsea player in England’s top-flight this term.
Zouma is also currently Chelsea’s seventh-highest rated player for the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, earning an average overall rating of 6.93 from his 25 appearances this season.
So, with all of that in mind, it may be fair to say that the centre-back has impressed in some areas for a Chelsea side who currently sit inside of the English top-flight’s UEFA Champions League qualification places and Nicol’s critical assessment of the player may be somewhat harsh.