Kurt Zouma: Chelsea wrap up £12.5m deal for St Etienne defender before sending him straight back on loan

Chelsea sign young defender as rebuilding process continues

Friday 31 January 2014 13:49 GMT

Kurt Zouma (AFP)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has finally finalised the protracted £12.5m deal for St. Etienne defender Kurt Zouma in a move which sees the the player return to France on loan until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old central defender has joined Chelsea on a five-and-a-half year contract. He has made 12 league appearances for Ligue 1's fourth-placed side this season.

It raises further questions over John Terry's future with the Blues' captain refusing to sign a new deal until the Stamford Bridge club offer him longer than a one-year extension.

It is believed that Chelsea have no intention to lengthen the deal however.

The completion of the Zouma transfer demonstrates how seriously Mourinho is taking the club's plans for the future after Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah also joined alongside Bertrand Traoré.

The Premier League giants are wary of Financial Fair Play and continue to strive to lower their squad's average age.

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Zouma, a France Under-21 international, has been on Chelsea's long-term list and fits their target profile of young talent acquired at a relatively low price by their standards.

The defender has served a 10-game ban this season, laid down by a more flexible disciplinary system in France, for a tackle that left Sochaux's Thomas Guerbert with a broken leg and a dislocated ankle.

It would now appear that Mourinho's business is done for the day with other targets - Diego Costa in particular - wishing to remain at their current clubs until the end of the season.

"Job done," Mourinho said.

"The last one in the transfer window. In almost every position we have the present and also the future.

"If we don't do it now, probably we can't do it in the summer because other clubs were also very strong on him," Mourinho added.

"So we did it, now he stays at St Etienne, pre-season he will join us.

"We will see if it is to stay or if it is to go on loan."

Who else is on Jose Mourinho's radar?

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Show all 18

1/18Chelsea - January transfer targets

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Luke Shaw - Another potential long term successor to Ashley Cole, the Southampton youngster has impressed everyone and would surely command a fairly hefty fee given his side's recent success.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Sami Khedira - Currently out with a long term injury so a January signing looks unlikely but Jose Mourinho is said to be keen to link up with his former charge and the German is just the sort of player Chelsea need in midfield.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Fredy Guarin - At one point very close to signing with the club, the £15m Colombian, cooled for a while. However, with the move to Juventus, stalling - Chelsea may with the use the funds from Mata's transfer to Man Utd and make another bid.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Andrea Ranocchia - Chelsea are one of a few Premier League clubs chasing the Inter defender and you can see why, the tall centre-back is a handy player.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Claudio Marchisio - Juventus' early Champions League exit may leave them a little strapped for cash with Marchisio being mooted as a player to be sold in order to cover the shortfall. Chelsea would no doubt be interested in his midfield class should he become available.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Eliaquim Mangala - Another defender Mourinho is reportedly very keen on, the Porto centre-back would not come cheap although his club have admitted they would be willing to sell him for the right price. Manchester City have since shown an interest however.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Luis Suarez - Chelsea need a goal-scoring striker, so who better than the league's top scorer? A very unlikely move for a lot of obvious reasons.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Diego Costa - The Atletico Madrid man is another striker in red hot form and consequently he has attracted the attention of several Premier League clubs. Mourinho would no doubt enjoy swiping him from under Arsene Wenger's nose.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Xabi Alonso - Another of Mourinho's former players who would add experience and quality to Chelsea's midfield. Given his age shouldn't prove too expensive.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Radamel Falcao - Linked with Chelsea for some time, the free-scoring Colombian would cost a fortune to prize away from mega-wealthy Monaco, but the promise of Champions League football would surely be enticing.

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Chelsea - January transfer targets

Edinson Cavani - Another big name striker who would cost a lot to sign, this time from PSG, Cavani has again consistently been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Hulk - Apparently fairly disenchanted at Zenit and another long time Chelsea target, nevertheless would seem an odd purchase given his usual berth is out wide - a position Chelsea have a ludicrous amount of depth in.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Jackson Martinez - Another Colombian reportedly on Chelsea's radar, the Porto forward has an excellent recent goal record but might represent more of a risk given he would still command a large transfer fee. With Juan Mata now in Chelsea's past, a new midfielder is needed.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Gonzalo Higuain - Seems unlikely given he only moved to Napoli in the summer, but Italian media are reporting that Chelsea are interested in the Argentine forward. Another of Mourinho's former men.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Wayne Rooney - Chelsea's main target over the summer and despite apparently being happier at Old Trafford has yet to sign a new contract. Failure to qualify for the Champions League would surely see Rooney depart. Will selling Mata to the champions make them loosen their tough stance on the England man?

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Fabio Coentrao - With questions over Ashley Cole's place in the side, Chelsea are reportedly having a look at another Mourinho old boy, Real Madrid's Coentrao.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Mario Balotelli - Is a Premier League reunion with Super Mario back on the cards? That's what sections of the Italian press think. It seems unlikely given his previously very poor working relationship with Mourinho but you just never know.

Chelsea - January transfer targets

Alberto Moreno - The young left back is another being touted as Ashley Cole's successor - with a buy out clause of £25m he wouldn't be cheap but then aged 21 he has a long future ahead of him.

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