Kurt Zouma can become the new defensive signing Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri so desperately craves.
That is according to Italian scout Fabrizio Bertuzzi.
Chelsea went hard after Juventus stopper Daniele Rugani this summer. The Italian ultimately rejected their advances in favour of staying in Turin.
Sarri is expected to revisit the position in January, with Rugani once again named as a target. But Bertuzzi believes Zouma, currently on loan at Everton, is ready for a return to Stamford Bridge. The defender returning last weekend from time away with France after a recall by Les Bleus coach Didier Deschamps.
"Sarri has shown that he knows how to build players. I would always choose the 'colonel' Zouma," the former Fiorentina and Bologna scout told Tribalfootball.com.
"I still have in my mind the Under 20 World Cup he won in 2013, along with Pogba, Veretout, Thauvin. I am very glad he has been called by Deschamps.
"If he manages to return to rapidity he always shown, I think he still is one of the best defenders in the world."
24-year-old Zouma made 37 appearances across all competitions during a loan spell at Stoke City last season.
The France international has continued the good momentum at Goodison Park, having started Everton's last seven Premier League games.
Zouma has formed a strong partnership with Michael Keane at the heart of Everton's defence, which has kept high-profile signing Yerry Mina restricted to the bench.
Since joining from Saint-Etienne in 2014, Zouma has made 71 appearances for Chelsea and was part of the Premier League title winning squads in 2014/15 and 2016/17.