St Etienne’s Zouma has confirmed contact with the Blues but United are ready to steal the charge.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is said to have been in advanced talks with Saint-Etienne defender Kurt Zouma but now Manchester United are ready to make a bid, according to the Mirror.
The 19-year-old has openly admitted to being interested in a switch to Stamford Bridge, but with Mourinho stating the Blues will be doing no more business in the January transfer window it could be United’s chance to swoop.
Red Devils boss David Moyes is looking to the future and wants to find long-term replacements for veteran centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and captain Nemanja Vidic.
The Premier League champions have utilised Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling at the back, but want further cover in defence.
It’s this offer of first team football that Moyes believes will convince Zouma to come to Old Trafford rather than west London.
The France under-21 international broke into the St Etienne first team in 2011 and has since played 61 matches in all competitions for the club.
Zouma is now an established regular in the starting XI, although has faced 10 matches on the sidelines this season after being banned for a reckless challenge on Sochaux Thomas Guerbert – which broke the midfielder’s leg.
United have also looked into the prospect of signing Schalke 04 starlet Kyriakos Papadopoulos, who has been out for much of this term with a knee injury but is now back to full fitness.
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