Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has been given a huge boost in the race to sign Chelsea ace Kurt Zouma. 

According to L'Equipe (as relayed by Sport Witness), Zouma would like to stay in the Premier League if he leaves the Blues.

The French outlet revealed that Zouma admires Mourinho's methodology and the report suggests that the duo have kept in touch ever since the Portuguese left Stamford Bridge. The 57-year-old praised the centre-back on Sky Sports last year.

The Daily Star reported last week that Chelsea will consider offers for the defender, which has opened the doors for Spurs to make a move.

Mourinho has made it clear that he wants to improve his defensive options in the summer, as Jan Vertonghen is likely to leave when the transfer market opens, and Zouma could be the perfect replacement.

Interestingly, Mourinho signed the French international from Ligue 1 side St Etienne for £12m all the way back in 2014. Zouma has arguably made the most of his time in London so far, as he has made more than 100 appearances for the Blues, lifting the Premier League trophy twice, the League Cup and French League Cup, between loan spells with St Etienne, Stoke City and Everton.

This season, the Frenchman has played 22 games in the English top flight for Frank Lampard’s side, winning one tackle per game, averaging 1.9 interceptions and successfully completing four clearances per game on average (WhoScored).

In comparison, it is fair to say Vertonghen has struggled for form up until now. The veteran was even substituted early in the second half after an abysmal performance against Southampton in the FA Cup earlier this year.

The Belgian, who was a favourite of former boss Mauricio Pochettino, has featured in 19 Premier League matches so far this term, attempting 2.1 tackles on average, making 1.6 interceptions and completing 2.9 clearances per game (WhoScored).

Mourinho is eager to reunite with his former player amid competition from Carlo Ancelotti's Everton.

In view of the fact that Vertonghen has fallen out of favour with the Portuguese, it is difficult to imagine that the wantaway veteran will still be at the club for much longer. Therefore, a move for Zouma could potentially be a great deal for Spurs, as he has earned a higher WhoScored rating of 6.9 for his performances this season.

The 25-year-old arguably has plenty of time left in his career and he could turn out to be a shrewd investment in the future, as he has ample experience at the top levels of the game. However, his contract with Chelsea is set to expire in 2023, meaning it is likely he won't come cheap for Spurs.

Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Kurt Zouma in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!