Chelsea released a statement shortly afterwards that said: “Chelsea Football Club's medical team have diagnosed that Kurt Zouma sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament during yesterday’s (Sunday) Premier League game against Manchester United.
“Kurt will undergo surgery in the next 48 hours and is expected to be out for approximately six months.”
Zouma’s absence means Chelsea will have to complete the season with captain John Terry and Gary Cahill in the centre of defence, with Branislav Ivanovic likely to be used as an emergency option if needed.
The futures of both Terry and Cahill have been called into question over recent weeks. Terry claims there is “no communication” between him and Chelsea over extending his contract past this season, while Cahill has expressed his frustration at his lack of playing time.
It is unclear whether or not Zouma’s injury will have any influence over the futures of Terry and Cahill, but Chelsea will certainly attempt to sign at least one new central defender in the summer.
Chelsea allowed central defender Papy Djilobodji to go out on loan to Werder Bremen in the January transfer window and signed little known Matt Miazga from New York Red Bulls for £3.5million.
But 20-year-old Miazga is not expected to have much of an impact on the first team this season or next, as he settles into life at Chelsea and English football.
Zouma had been one of the few bright points of what has otherwise been a dismal season for Chelsea and the team have looked vulnerable at the back without his pace.
Left-back Cesar Azpilicueta has no doubt that Cahill can step in and do a good job, saying: “Gary is one of the veterans of the team. We know his quality and, in this squad, it is always important to be ready. We need everybody, we have big games coming up and all of us have to be ready.”
- Telegraph