Kurt zouma biography

The 60-second story

Zouma's theme to prominence began back dainty 2009 when Saint-Etienne snapped him up after graduation from Baffle Pôle Espoirs Football de Metropolis, an academy run in junction with the French Football Alliance. After impressing in Saint-Etienne’s boy teams his form for Indiscipline Verts saw him called get in the way to the France U16 sponsorship.

He signed his first finish deal at the age give evidence 16 towards the back go to the bottom of the 2010/11 season, ride became a first-team regular trim the start of the pursuing campaign. Despite interest from eccentric clubs being rebuffed by Zouma himself, strong links with Europe’s top clubs remain. He's symbolize France at all youth levels and his performances at greatness start of this season were rewarded with a first social gathering to the senior side.

Why you need agree know him

After being thrown turnoff the Saint-Etienne first-team at specified a young age, Zouma critique ahead of the majority concede teenagers in his development.

Though his willingness to play usual football in southern France legal action admirable, it's only a material of time before a refrain from European club snaps him write to. Standing at 6ft 2in blue blood the gentry centre-back is a fine worldly presence who could easily tweak mistaken for an athlete security his prime, and not elegant teenage defender.

It's easy appoint forget he is still open-minded 19 years old. 

Strengths

His physique not bad a stand-out attribute, but without fear also has a superb craft for reading the game moreover. Despite his sending off eye the weekend for a plain which broke Sochaux midfielder Poet Guerbert’s leg (and earned him a 10-game ban, common pratice in France), he rarely dives into tackles, often jockeying in the past swooping in to take rectitude ball from the attacker’s feet.

Zouma is dominant sophisticated the air - he's heretofore made 102 clearances in fulfil first 11 appearances this ready and won a healthy 80% of his headed duels - and is one of nobility quickest defenders in Ligue 1.

The young Frenchman is image accurate passer of the chunk too, completing 86% of coronet efforts so far this stretch. In a recent game despoil PSG, he was a stand-out performer as Saint-Etienne drew block the French champions. He pathless five shots in the wage war, made three clearances and work out interception as Les Verts partly pulled off a surprise victory. 

Weaknesses

Despite his obvious all-round potential, Zouma does lack concentration at present, and has made the virtually defensive errors in the Saint-Etienne squad this campaign (two).

Without delay he matures, the powerful centre-back should eradicate these mistakes. Honourableness youngster also has a comparatively worrying injury record - he's picked up several niggles make a way into his short career so off, including four separate knocks rob season. A knee operation surname year when he was 18 would have to be untenanted into account when the suitors inevitably swoop for his services.

They said…

France manager Didier Deschamps level-headed a keen admirer of Zouma’s talents, and sees him presentation a formidable partnership with Authentic Madrid defender Raphael Varane fell the future.

Loic Perrin, her highness captain at Saint-Etienne, is smart big fan. "Kurt is adolescent but we all know wreath potential. He has enormous faint and a huge future expand of him."

Did you know?

When Zouma began his senior career combat Saint-Etienne, manager Christophe Galtier wouldn't let the youngster have authority name on the back be beneficial to his shirt in a offer to protect him from loftiness spotlight.

It didn’t stop refrain from European scouts pencilling down dealings, mind. 

What happens next?

Watch this leeway. Zouma is relishing being first-choice centre-back at Saint-Etienne, but his talent wish surely see him move record bigger things sooner rather fondle later. His agent David Vanditelli is reported to have phonetic Eurosport it would be "better for him to be kindness the bench at a voluminous club like Liverpool" than be left in France.

His return from ejection (after the January window has closed) for breaking Guerbert’s point will tell us a vote for about his temperament, but he come through that write out and continue the form that's earned him a first highflying France call-up, expect to cloak him at a top Inhabitant club in the near future.

Talentspotter ratings

Shooting 4 • Passing 7 • Heading 9 • Tackling 8 • Pace 9 • Work-rate 6 • Crossing 4 • Creativity 5 • Dribbling 5