Stamford Bridge side keeping tabs on Saint-Etienne centre-back.
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Chelsea are ready to launch a bid to sign highly rated Saint-Etienne defender Kurt Zouma according to the Daily Mail.
Jose Mourinho is keen to strengthen his defence, especially with growing speculation about David Luiz’s future at Stamford Bridge, and the returning Blues boss appears to believe a move for the teenager would be a more cost effective option to his continued pursuit of FC Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala.
The 18 year old French Under 20 international, who is currently representing his country at the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey, is available for a fee of around £10m and is considered something of a hot prospect and has been favourably compared to former Chelsea and AC Milan legend Marcel Desailly.
Mourinho is keen to continue Roman Abramovich’s youthful transfer policy and though he has a number of central defensive options at present, Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry, Gary Cahill and the aforementioned Luiz, the youngest of these is 26 and as such perhaps the Portuguese boss is looking towards the next generation.
Lyon born Zouma has already racked up two seasons worth of Ligue 1 experience, with 40 appearances to his name, this despite the youngster still being some four months shy of his 19th birthday.