Football
Miguel Delaney 9y

Kurt Zouma's Chelsea future is not as a midfielder - coach Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has stressed that Kurt Zouma's future is not in midfield, despite the 20-year-old starting there in Chelsea's 2-0 Capital One Cup final win over Tottenham.

Mourinho selected Zouma in the defensive midfield role for Sunday's Wembley final due to Nemanja Matic's suspension, and the Frenchman impressed against Spurs.

Although Mourinho suggested Zouma could become Chelsea's "new Marcel Desailly" following his performance, the Stamford Bridge coach maintained the youngster's long-term future is in defence and that his side will not play the same way in Wednesday's Premier League trip to West Ham.

"I don't play the same team [at West Ham]," Mourinho told his pregame news conference. "I don't play the same 11 players, that's for sure. We were trying.

"[Zouma] is not a midfield player. He is not going to be a midfielder. That is completely clear. It's not his future.

"But the team is better when you know the qualities of everybody, when you know everybody can be extra in some details, and if Zouma couldn't do that for us on that day, we would have been in trouble.

"We didn't have Matic and [John Obi] Mikel in a final where it was important to keep the balance of the team. We needed someone to do that job.

"We worked on it during the week and felt his confidence. That was important, knowing he was confident enough to play in that role.

"I don't like asking players to do things they're not ready to do, especially in a final where you have enough pressure and don't need the extra pressure playing somewhere you are not comfortable.

"But he showed that confidence in the week. He did very well, but it's not his future at Chelsea to play in that position."

Mourinho stated that Mikel is still expected to be out injured until April, adding: "Mikel had a surgery on the meniscus [a tear in the knee]. We expect him to be out for about a month."

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