Kurt Zouma set to leave EPL as PSG ponder sensational bid for defender

EPL side Chelsea's centre-back Kurt Zouma has been offered to French giants Paris Saint Germain, according to TF1 reporter Julien Maynard.

Zouma has been used as a squad player by Frank Lampard this season. There have been indicators from the EPL giants that he could be sold if a right offer comes along.

EPL side Chelsea are willing to let go of Kurt Zouma

PSG not the only club interested in EPL defender

According to Maynard, Zouma has been offered to PSG, with the price touted to be around €30 million. Thomas Tuchel, the coach of the Ligue 1 champions, is said to be an admirer of Zouma's talent.

Paris Saint Germain are not the only club interested in Zouma. EPL rivals Tottenham Hotspur have been linked as well. Spurs manager Jose Mourinho knows the player well, having bought him and then coached him during his time at Chelsea.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel is said to admire the EPL defender

The 25-year old central defender joined Chelsea from boyhood club Saint-Etienne in 2014 for a fee of €14.6 million. He enjoyed a good second season with the club but unfortunately suffered a serious injury in the middle of the season. The France international was then sent out loan to fellow EPL club Everton for a season.

He returned to Chelsea last summer and has been a rotational player under Frank Lampard. So far, the Frenchman has made 105 appearances in all competitions for the EPL side since 2014, scoring five goals and providing six assists.

En partance de Chelsea, Kurt Zouma a été proposé ces derniers jours au PSG. Thomas Tuchel apprécie son profil mais aucune discussion amorcée. Deux clubs anglais ont déjà montré leur intérêt. Le prix du défenseur français est estimé à environ 30M€. #Mercato @telefoot_TF1

— Julien Maynard (@JulienMaynard) July 2, 2020

This season, Zouma has made 33 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, scoring one goal. He manages 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game, leading the squad for clearances with four per game. The centre-back, who also spent a year on loan at Stoke City in the EPL, is well-known for his ball-playing abilities. He averages 4.3 long balls per game, which is the second-highest among outfield players in the Chelsea squad. He does this while boasting a pass accuracy of 87.3%.

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The EPL side have Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Fikayo Tomori as their other centre-back options. Interestingly, Zouma has made the most appearances this season out of all four. However, Chelsea are rumoured to be targetting more defensive recruits, with Lille's Gabriel Magalhaes and RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano linked with the EPL club over the past few weeks.

Paris Saint Germain, on the other hand, need a centre-back. Long-serving captain Thiago Silva is set to depart the club as a free agent, which leaves a spot open in the squad. The departure of highly-rated youngster Tanguy Kouassi to Bayern Munich on a free has added to the problems. Tuchel expressed his disappointment with Kouassi's decision, revealing how highly he valued the youngster.

Kurt Zouma has been offered to PSG, no talks yet. Two other English clubs interested. - @JulienMaynard pic.twitter.com/wGM6hA5lop

— Simon Phillips (@SiPhillipsSport) July 2, 2020

The signing of Zouma from the EPL club would allow Tuchel to play Marquinhos in defensive midfield role more. The Brazilian, a centre-back, has been a revelation in that position and gives Tuchel more options.

PSG are set to overhaul their defence this season. The departures of Silva and right-back Thomas Meunier has meant that the Ligue 1 side are in the market for a right-back and a centre-back. They have also been linked with multiple left-backs over the past few months.

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