Everton have told central defender Kurt Zouma they want him to remain at Goodison Park beyond the end of this season in a deal that could cost as much as £30m.
Zouma, 24, is currently on loan at the Toffees from Chelsea for the entirety of this season, and has impressed for Marco Silva's side, making 25 Premier League appearances, resulting in a recall to the France national team during the recent international break.
As a result, Everton are keen to keep hold of the defender, with The Times reporting that the Merseyside-based club would need to stump up £30m in order to keep the Frenchman permanently, although even then a deal may not materialise.
That is due to the two-window transfer ban that's been placed on Chelsea that comes into action this summer, preventing the club from signing or selling players during that period, although the club have lodged an appeal for the ban that will take place in April.
Zouma has been a Chelsea player since January 2014 following his £12.4m move from Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne, although he has made just 74 appearances for the Blues due to frequent injuries, as well as spending the 2017/18 campaign on loan at Stoke City, which resulted in relegation for the Potters.
Everton are hoping to secure back-to-back league wins when they travel to the Olympic Stadium to face West Ham United, having secured a 2-0 win against Chelsea prior to the international break - a game that Zouma was unavailable for due to loan rulings.
Source : 90min