'Deal done' - Ruthless Julen Lopetegui to ship out 'exceptional' first team star on free transfer

West Ham are set to allow captain Kurt Zouma to quit the club this summer in an unexpected move with a free transfer to UAE outfit Shabab Al-Ahli nearing completion.

Sky Sports today confirm that a deal between the two sides had been agreed with the 29-year-old expected to complete a medical with Shabab Al-Ahli within the next 24 to 48 hours. Zouma made 33 Premier League appearances last term, having been appointed captain by former manager David Moyes following the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal.

Zouma still has another 12 years left on his Hammers deal, which makes a free transfer exit from the side somewhat unexpected. However, it is reported that the UAE outfit will match his current wages, alleviating financial pressures at the London Stadium.

A starting XI mainstay, it had already emerged that new Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui did not see a future in his squad for the former Chelsea and Everton man. West Ham have already signed Max Kilman for £40 million this summer, reuniting the former Wolves man with Lopetegui.

Kilman now looks likely to partner Konstantinos Mavropanos, who joined the London club for €25 million from VfB Stuttgart last year, at the heart of the West Ham defence.

It's another sign of the new era at the London Stadium with Moyes steadfast in his trust of Zouma. Speaking after one particularly impressive performance against Wolves in 2022, the Scotsman said: “I thought Kurt was exceptional today. Strong, and commanding, he had a couple of incredible blocks late in the game when we needed him.

"He was powerful in the air and aggressive at times. He won a great race on a one vs one situation in the first half. I thought Kurt played well.”

Zouma took over the captaincy on a temporary basis following Rice's exit last summer and was elected to keep the armband after the first few weeks of the campaign. Confirming that news at the time, Moyes said: “Kurt will continue as captain. He’s done a good job. We’ve won three and drawn one of our opening four games, so he will remain as captain.

“We have a strong group of leaders at the Club. We have Angelo Ogbonna, Aaron Cresswell, Łukasz Fabiański, Michail Antonio and now James Ward-Prowse has come in and they’re all senior players who know what’s required and how we do things. They’ve all stepped up and will be a massive help to Kurt, as will Mark Noble who is around the place as well.”