West Ham United captain Kurt Zouma is on the verge of making a move to the United Arab Emirates. The defender has been in discussions with Shabab Al-Ahli, based in Dubai, and it seems like a deal will be finalized soon. Zouma, who is 29 years old, still has one year remaining on his contract with West Ham and is considered one of the top earners at the club.
Since joining West Ham from Chelsea for £29 million in 2021, Zouma has featured in over 100 matches for the team. He even played a crucial role in their victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final in 2023. After Declan Rice’s departure to Arsenal, Zouma was appointed as the club captain at the beginning of last season.
In 2022, Zouma faced legal trouble after admitting to mistreating his cat, which led to him being sentenced to 180 hours of community service. Despite this incident, he has remained a key player for West Ham.
Following the arrival of Julen Lopetegui as the new manager, West Ham has been active in the transfer market this summer. Max Kilman, the former captain of Wolves, joined the team in a £40 million deal. Additionally, the club has secured the signings of Dutch forward Crysencio Summerville, German striker Niclas Fullkrug, Brazilian midfielder Luis Guilherme, and Argentine midfielder Guido Rodriguez.
The departure of Zouma would mark the end of an era for West Ham, as he has been a significant figure in the team’s recent successes. However, the club seems to be preparing for life without him by bringing in new talent to strengthen the squad.
As West Ham fans await official confirmation of Zouma’s move to Shabab Al-Ahli, they can take solace in the fact that the club is actively working to reinforce the team for the upcoming season. It remains to be seen how Zouma’s departure will impact the dynamics of the squad and who will step up to fill the void left by the experienced defender.