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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has reassured Kurt Zouma that he is a part of his plans and is prepared to pick him in big games.
Zouma has yet to make an appearance for Chelsea since joining from St Etienne for £12.5m in January. He was loaned back to the French club for the second half of the season and despite being involved in warm-up friendlies over the summer, has not featured in the first three League games.
John Terry and Gary Cahill are the first-choice partnership and Mourinho was also interested in signing Raphael Varane from Real Madrid in the summer due to Zouma’s lack of experience.
But Mourinho is ready to trust Zouma, just as he did with Varane when he turned him from a promising member of the youth set-up into a first-team regular at Real Madrid.
Zouma said: “Mourinho told me, ‘Varane, I made him start straight away against Manchester City (in the Champions League 2012). You have to be ready at any time’.
“When I was at Saint-Etienne and I didn’t play, I immediately got annoyed. But I’ve learned.
“Now, there are experienced players, stars in my position, and they do very good work. I take my time. I learn alongside these defenders. I know my time will come.”
