Thursday, 30th October, 2014
Gary Cahill believes fellow Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma’s emergence will push him to improve his game further.
The 20-year-old, who was signed by the Blues in January from Saint-Etienne, but was immediately loaned back to the French club for the remainder of the 2013/14 season, has thus far made four appearances in all competitions for Chelsea.
Zouma partnered Cahill at the heart of Chelsea’s defence and put in a good performance during the Stamford Bridge outfit’s 2-1 win over Shrewsbury Town in a League Cup game on Tuesday.
And Cahill, who lauded the youngster’s displays in a Chelsea shirt thus far, feels his place in the starting line-up is not guaranteed due to the Frenchman’s presence.
“He’s a big guy; he’s strong, powerful, good in the air and a fantastic talent”, the England international told the club’s official site.
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“He’s a great guy off the pitch and every time he’s been asked to play he’s done really well.
“I’ve always felt pushed since I’ve been at the club. You never feel like the shirt is yours, there’s always somebody either in front of you or right behind you and that’s the way it is throughout your career.
“Kurt’s a fantastic player and a great option for the manager to have, and obviously Iva [Branislav Ivanovic] can play centre-back as well.”
Zouma, whose contract with Chelsea runs until 2019, is yet to earn a senior cap for France, but has represented the nation at various youth levels.
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