Thursday, 23rd August, 2012


Queens Park Rangers have abandoned thoughts of signing 17-year-old defender Kurt Zouma from Saint-Etienne this summer, according to L’Equipe.

The Rs were strongly linked with launching a bid of between €12M and €15M for Zouma, but have now decided that more experienced options are needed in the centre of a defence which conceded five goals in their weekend Premier League defeat against Swansea City at Loftus Road.

Now it seems that Saint-Etienne president Roland Romeyer will be able to avoid having to make a tricky decision on the youngster’s future, as QPR cool on a bid.

Zouma is highly rated by the Ligue 1 side, who are keen to retain his services as they push for a European spot.

The 17-year-old is on the radar of a number of the continent’s biggest clubs and was scouted last weekend by Chelsea and Manchester United, who took in Saint-Etienne’s 2-1 defeat at Toulouse.

Zouma could yet be the subject of a late transfer bid, but the signs are he is set to learn his trade with the Greens for a little longer.