Kurt Zouma is considered one of the foremost young defensive talents in the world. Signed from St Etienne in January for around £12 million, the young Frenchman spent the remaining six months of the year loaned at his old club before finally making the trip across the Channel and joining up with Mourinho's squad for pre-season. Now the backup to John Terry and Gary Cahill, it looks as though he'll be playing an important part in the season ahead for Chelsea despite having yet to make a competitive appearance for the club and only being 19 years old. His gifts are undeniable, however, and as Romelu Lukaku proved after signing for £10 million from Anderlecht in 2011, a large transfer fee is not a guarantee of a first team place. Zouma may have received a little boost thanks to his young age meaning he does not need to be registered in the club's Premier League squad, which already has one foreign player over the mandated quota, but make no mistake, this young man is going places and fast. His positioning could still do with some work, but his awesome combination of strength and speed make him one hell of an obstacle and his progression has already been so rapid that there's little doubting his ability to step up his game once again when Jose Mourinho needs him. Even with the hugely talented Kalas, Andreas Christensen and Kenneth Omeruo all competing to represent the future of Chelsea's defence, expect Zouma to ensure the two available places are very quickly narrowed down to one.
28-year old English writer with a borderline obsessive passion for films, videogames, Chelsea FC, incomprehensible words and indefensible puns. Follow me on Twitter if you like infrequent outbursts of absolute drivel.
