Kurt Zouma sends sad West Ham farewell and a host of teammates reply. Kurt Zouma has said goodbye to West Ham complete with a video charting his time at the club after signing for Saudi side Al-Orobah FC.
When David Moyes wanted to bring Kurt Zouma to West Ham from Chelsea, he had to fight to make it happen. West Ham’s majority owner David Sullivan was nervous about spending nearly £30m on a player with a history of knee issues. Moyes insisted Zouma was the man he wanted leading West Ham’s defence and in the end Sullivan backed his manager.
Fast forward three years and it’s probably fair to say both Moyes and Sullivan have been proved right. At just 29, Zouma should have another four or five years left in him at the top level.
But in reality any West Ham fan watching him become increasingly immobile last season knew his time was up. Those knee issues restricted how much Zouma could train and play for West Ham.
And on £125k per week, that was far from ideal.
Moyes’ decision to make him captain was more reflective of his position as a big character among his teammates rather than what supporters necessarily saw on the pitch.
New West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui made it perfectly clear as soon as he arrived that he intended to almost completely overhaul a defence which shipped a club Premier League record 74 goals last season with Zouma at its heart. Zouma sends emotional West Ham farewell
That also meant deposing Zouma as captain – a choice always seen as dubious in the first place outside the West Ham bubble after the cat-kicking scandal.
When fit, fresh and firing, though, Zouma was one of the best centre-backs West Ham have had for some years. Imperious in the air, strong and – when free from the pain which saw his knees swell to unimaginable size at times – quick too.
Zouma was part of the West Ham side which reached the Europa League semi-final and then went on to win the club’s first major trophy for 43 years. Some would argue that Europa Conference League triumph was worth the £29.5m Zouma cost alone.
Max Kilman and Zouma’s fellow Frenchman Jean-Clair Todibo are West Ham’s new rearguard for a new era. Now Zouma has sent an emotional West Ham farewell and a host of teammates have responded.
‘You’ll forever be my family’
Taking to Instagram, Zouma posted a photo of him applauding Hammers supporters with the words ‘Thank U’ and three crossed Hammers.
The post contained his goodbye message to West Ham as well as a video montage charting his time at the club. “Yo West Ham fans, it’s time for me to say goodbye,” Zouma said.
“It has been a huge pleasure to be part of the success of this amazing club. “I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has helped me throughout my time here! A big thank you to all the fans for your support.
“I will miss you all! You’ll be forever my family.”
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Among his now former Hammers teammates to respond include Said Benrahma who said: “You want to make us cry, I got it.”
Alongside a heart, Emerson Palmieri wrote: “My bro.” Rising young Hammers star George Earthy simply put heart and crying emojis.
Maxwel Cornet, who also left West Ham on deadline day in a season-long loan to Southampton, said: “That’s it (the end). Thank you for everything you’ve done for me capi, all the best.” The man who played next to Zouma in West Ham’s defence over the last three years, Vladimir Coufal, added: “You will be missed broski.”
Confirming his departure yesterday evening, West Ham highlighted Zouma’s contribution and wished him well.
“The 29-year-old started as West Ham won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022/23, defeating Fiorentina in the final in Prague in June last year,” a club statement reads. “Zouma also helped the Irons finish seventh in the Premier League in his first season, 2021/22, and ninth last term, captaining the side in the latter campaign.
“West Ham United wish Kurt well at Al-Orobah.”
