West Ham tell Kurt Zouma to find new club – sources
West Ham have told Kurt Zouma he is free to find a new club this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
Sources say the centre-back has been made available to other clubs after struggling to cope with the demands of playing more than once per week in the just-completed campaign.
Zouma, 29, was made captain after Declan Rice’s exit last summer, and had been a regular feature in the team under David Moyes, starting 38 games in the 2023-24 season, 29 in 2022-23 and 32 in 2021-22.
However, following the arrival of Julen Lopetegui, West Ham will look to move in a new direction.
Football Insider revealed on 23 May that the Hammers are close to signing Brazilian defender Fabricio Bruno, in a deal which would pave the way for Zouma’s exit.
Kurt Zouma told to leave West Ham in search of a new club
Zouma arrived at the London Stadium on a four-year deal from Chelsea in 2021, for a fee of £29.8million, with his deal set to come to an end next summer.
Reports at the time named the Frenchman as the club’s top earner, with a £125,000-per-week salary, which the Hammers would look to reinvest elsewhere following his departure.
The demands of playing Europa League football on top of challenging in the Premier League and domestic cup competitions proved an issue this season.
Having featured 39 times over the season, he was rested in six of the Hammers’ ten Europa League games and was not involved in any of the League Cup clashes as they reached the quarter-finals of both tournaments.
The news of his availability comes after former Hammers striker Frank McAvennie told Football Insider that Lopetegui should sell the entire defence upon his arrival, with Zouma specifically called out.
Alongside the imminent arrival of Bruno, sources tell Football Insider that West Ham could reignite their interest in Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah as they restructure their defence.
In other news, West Ham’s plan for Flynn Downes has been revealed.
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