Kurt Zouma’s medical concluded in August 2021, and that’s when West Ham United received some worrying news.
The center-half and Chelsea reached an agreement on a £125,000-per-week contract, with Chelsea paying £30 million ($37.4 million) in total. However, a scan near the conclusion of Zouma’s medical in Paris showed a problem with his knee, which made West Ham question if they should move forward with the purchase.
Nikola Milenkovic, defender for Fiorentina, was thought to be a possible substitute, but in the end, West Ham decided to sign Zouma. His contract is set to expire in 2025, with a further two years option.
West Ham have not looked back on their choice in many respects. As one of their on-field leaders and a major asset to manager David Moyes, Zouma has also made the French-speaking group, which includes Said Bernama, Alphonse Areola, and Maxwel Cornet, feel at home.
Yet doubts about Zouma’s health persist. The third injury of the season for the France international will keep him out of action for a few weeks after he suffered an ankle injury in the 4-3 loss at Crystal Palace. He had knee and hamstring problems early in the season, which kept him out of 12 games. Zouma missed 11 games in 2021–2022 due to a hamstring and sprained ankle.
Kurt Zouma hobbles away from Crystal Palace (Image: Marc Atkins via Getty Images))
Outside of West Ham, not many people are likely to sympathize with Zouma’s plight. The home crowd chanted “that’s how your cat feels” as he was helped off the pitch at Selhurst Park by two West Ham physiotherapists. This was a reference to his actions in February 2022 when video footage surfaced of him kicking, slapping, and hurling things at his cat. West Ham fined him two weeks’ salary and ordered him to perform 180 hours of community service after he was found guilty of animal cruelty.
proceed more deeply!
GO FURTHER
Football players and their animals are more complex than just Kurt Zouma and his cat.
However, Zouma has shown the team that they can trust him on the field by being their greatest defender. The 28-year-old is top for headed clearances (60) and second for interceptions among defenders for West Ham in the Premier League (30), only behind Vladimir Coufal (34). His absence will be concerning because Moyes’ team hasn’t yet confirmed their Premier League status and because the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final against AZ Alkmaar is scheduled for next Thursday.
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