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West Ham have completed the signing of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea, tying him down to a four-year contract.

Zouma became one of West Ham’s main targets in the final few weeks of the transfer window and they have now got their man. It has been a pursuit filled with ups and downs but the outcome has been positive. The defender is now officially a West Ham United player.

He has moved across London for an undisclosed fee after being with Chelsea since 2014. In that time, and in between loan spells with Saint-Etienne, Stoke City and Everton, Zouma amassed 151 appearances and 10 goals.

Zouma was part of two Premier League winning squads with Chelsea and contributed to their Champions League triumph this summer. But now, a new challenge awaits.

The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with West Ham, thus completing his transfer to a side looking to build upon a promising year under David Moyes.

Zouma will still have European football on the table after West Ham reached the Europa League group stage. He will be hoping to make an impression on all fronts.

The Frenchman told the club website: “I’m very happy and very proud.

“My conversation with the manager went very fast. I just felt like he really wanted me to come and join the team, especially a good team that’s started the season very, very well.

“With the great season that West Ham had last year, that gave the team a lot of confidence to improve this year – and I want to help the team do that.”

Hey, @KurtZouma! pic.twitter.com/3QNunhIGnz

— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 28, 2021

It has been a slow-burning transfer window for West Ham overall. In addition to making Craig Dawson’s loan from Watford a permanent deal, their only previous new arrival for the first team was goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Zouma will help replenish a rearguard in front of him that was deprived of Fabian Balbuena a few months ago. Moyes now has another option in addition to Dawson, Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop.

Moyes gets his number one target

The manager added: “I am delighted to welcome Kurt to West Ham United. He is a player we have tracked for some time, and we have taken great care and diligence to make the transfer happen. He was always our first choice and I am very happy that he is now our player.

“Kurt will join a squad full of players who are hungry and ambitious. He will provide competition to our squad. He is a strong, powerful player with great experience in the Premier League while he is also at a good age for a centre-back.

“Kurt has enjoyed great success at Chelsea and I can see that he is determined to continue being successful here at the London Stadium. Myself, the coaching staff and players are all looking forward to working with him and we wish him all the very best in his career with us.”

The move could pave the way for Chelsea to sign their own defensive target, Jules Kounde from Sevilla.

READ MORE: Fresh twist causes ‘tense’ Chelsea situation, as €50m transfer hopes fade

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