AS Roma Target French Duo as Yanga-Mbiwa Replacement – €35M Offer Made for Kurt Zouma
In the wake of Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa’s transfer to Lyon, AS Roma are urgently seeking to bolster their defensive line, with manager Rudi Garcia eyeing French reinforcements.
According to the Daily Mail, Roma initially set their sights on Mamadou Sakho, the 25-year-old centre-back currently at Liverpool. The Frenchman, a former Paris Saint-Germain captain, has been the subject of transfer speculation in recent weeks. However, Liverpool reportedly rejected Roma’s approach, unwilling to part with the player at this stage of the transfer window.
With that door closed, Roma quickly turned their attention to another promising French defender: Kurt Zouma. As reported by the Mirror, the Giallorossi have made a €35 million bid to Chelsea for the 20-year-old centre-back. Zouma, who joined Chelsea from Saint-Étienne in 2014, has made only one Premier League appearance so far this season and remains under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2019.
Zouma is seen as a long-term investment, combining physical presence and technical ability—qualities Garcia admires. Yet it remains uncertain whether Jose Mourinho is willing to sanction his departure, particularly given the depth and rotation needs of Chelsea’s squad.
Roma’s aggressive pursuit reflects their ambition to remain competitive both domestically and in Europe. Whether Chelsea agree to part ways with one of their most promising young defenders could significantly shape the remainder of Roma’s transfer campaign.
