According to Sky Sports, Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma is now West Ham United and manager David Moyes' 'primary target' for centre back and it is believed he is 'open' to joining the club.

The Lowdown: West Ham in centre back chase...

ExWHUemployee first lifted the lid on West Ham's new transfer priority in landing a capable central defender before August 31, even above signing any new attackers.

The club have been in negotiations for Nikola Milenkovic and Zouma over this past fortnight, with the former once very close to a London Stadium move.

It was even stated that Milenkovic's bags were packed and a transfer was imminent, but those talks have since died down and Sky has now brought news on Moyes' number one defensive target.

The Latest: Sky Sports drop Zouma update...

As per the reliable source, Moyes has now earmarked Zouma as West Ham's 'primary target' and it is believed that the Frenchman is 'open' to joining the Irons this summer.

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However, the only difficulty lies in valuation, with Chelsea apparently wanting around £25 million for his services.

Zouma's wages also present an issue as well as the fact Tottenham are now interested in signing the 26-year-old as well.

If a move away cannot be agreed this summer, the towering defender is apparently happy to remain at his current club until the expiry of his contract in 2023.

The Verdict: Get it done...

West Ham need to finally land their central defensive target with the summer transfer window shutting fairly imminently.

Moyes has just two weeks to bag any more capable senior additions after signing goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan from Paris-Saint Germain.

We believe Zouma in particular would be perfect for West Ham going by his stats and praise off former Premier League legends.

The centre-back averaged a much higher pass accuracy (90.9%) than any Irons defender last season, pinpointing his composure and assurance on the ball as a real asset of his game (WhoScored).

Zouma also contributed going forward, having bagged five Premier League goals over 2020/2021, while ex-Chelsea defender and England star John Terry labelled him a 'beast of a player' when speaking on Instagram Live (via Tribuna).

In other news: West Ham source: GSB have now set sights on signing 6 foot 3 powerhouse for Moyes, find out more here.