Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea revolution is continuing apace after he signed a defender seen as one of the best young players in Europe, Kurt Zouma.
Born in Lyon in 1994, Zouma has played for French club Saint-Etienne since 2009 and signed his first professional contract two years later. He made his debut aged just 16 against Bordeaux and has been a consistent presence in the team ever since.
Possessing exceptional power and technique, the 19-year-old has been on the radar of a number of Europe’s top clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City, for some time.
The only blip on his meteoric rise to stardom was a 10-match ban after a reckless challenge on Sochaux’s Thomas Guerbet that left the attacking midfielder with a broken leg.
Despite that blot on his copybook, the French manager Didier Deschamps said in an interview in 2013 that he sees Zouma as a potential captain of the national team. The new Marcel Desailly?