West Ham have sealed a deal with Chelsea for the signature of French international Kurt Zouma on a four-year-contract. The 26-year-old defender joins West Ham following protracted negotiations between the two clubs and the intermediaries involved in the deal. The final fee agreed between the clubs was £29.8 million. Zouma was a member of the France Euro 2020 squad and has eight international caps to his name. During his time at Chelsea, Zouma won two Premier League titles, the League Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and was an unused substitute when the Blues beat Manchester City in May to lift the Champions League.
Kurt Zouma said: “I’m very happy and very proud. My conversation with the manager went very fast. I just felt like he really wanted me to come and join the team, especially a good team that’s started the season very, very well. With the great season that West Ham had last year, that gave the team a lot of confidence to improve this year – and I want to help the team do that.”
Zouma’s European experience will be vital to David Moyes as he prepares to take the Hammers into the Europa League group stages for the first time in their history.
David Moyes said: “I am delighted to welcome Kurt to West Ham United. He is a player we have tracked for some time, and we have taken great care and diligence to make the transfer happen. He was always our first choice and I am very happy that he is now our player. Kurt will join a squad full of players who are hungry and ambitious. He will provide competition to our squad. He is a strong, powerful player with great experience in the Premier League while he is also at a good age for a centre-back. Kurt has enjoyed great success at Chelsea and I can see that he is determined to continue being successful here at the London Stadium. Myself, the coaching staff and players are all looking forward to working with him and we wish him all the very best in his career with us.”
The defender joined Chelsea from Saint-Etienne in 2014 for a fee in the region of £12m before immediately returning to the French club on loan. During his time at Stamford Bridge, Zouma also had loan spells with Premier League outfits Stoke City and Everton before returning to Chelsea and establishing himself as a member of the first-team squad.
