Kurt Zouma Insists He Remains Focused on PL Relegation Dogfight Amid Summer Transfer Speculation

Kurt Zouma insists his focus remains solely on keeping Stoke City in the Premier League. The centre half is currently on a season-long loan at Stoke, so he will

Kurt Zouma insists his focus remains solely on keeping Stoke City in the Premier League. The centre half is currently on a season-long loan at Stoke, so he will shortly be due back at Chelsea, but it seems Zouma won’t be concerning himself with anything beyond the end of the current campaign.

Stoke fans will be delighted to hear it, as their team are well in the thick of the relegation scrap. Several high profile players have taken to creating a stir behind the scenes ahead of the club’s seemingly impending relegation.

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Chris Sutton recently branded Saido Berahino a disgrace, along with some of Stoke’s other spoiled stars. It seems the Potters do at least have some dedicated high profile players on the books, as Zouma himself explained to the Evening Standard after the West Ham game:

“I'm happy with my loan move, of course - I came here to play and I did it. I'm just focused on my team and try and keep them in the Premier League and win games - that's the most important thing.”

Chelsea have a famous habit of stockpiling loan players, with a remarkable 38 players currently out on loan. They’ve let their fair share of talent slip through their hands, including this seasons two front-runners for PFA Player of the Year, Kevin De Bruyne, and Mohamed Salah.

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They also have great competition for places in that back line, with recent acquisition Antonio Rudiger joining Gary Cahill and David Luiz. Alongside academy graduate Andreas Christensen and vice-captain César Azpilicueta offering more than capable cover.

It’s unclear whether there’ll be a route to the Chelsea first team for Zouma, despite an impressive season at struggling Stoke. When asked if he was planning for next season, the defender replied:

"Especially not at the moment... If I know I'm still in the Premier League [with Stoke] then I will see about the future. But not now."

Reflecting on the result, Zouma went on to say: "I think we should have won here [against West Ham], that was the target: to win. Obviously, we are a bit sad with the goal we conceded at the end of the game, but I think we did well. We defended well.

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"We scored the first one, we wanted to keep a clean sheet but unfortunately we couldn't.

"Our heads are a bit down, but there are still four games left to go and we still believe we can stay in the Premier League. We have to be focused for Sunday."

His parent club Chelsea are enduring a disappointing campaign of their own, following on from lifting the title last season. With Antonio Conte potentially on his way out in summer, a big shake-up is likely to follow, which will no doubt secure his future now at the crucial age of 23. For now, it’s business, as usual, it seems for Zouma and Stoke City as they bid to extend a 10-year stay in the top flight.