Ex West Ham and Chelsea centre-back who calls Hammers 'forever family' made January free agent

Ex West Ham and Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma is reported to have left Romanian side CFR Cluj after just four matches, making him a free agent once again in January.

The 31-year-old signed for CFR in September, having been released by the Hammers last summer. Zouma put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Liga I team, with the option of a further two years, but talkSPORT now report that he has left the club.

CFR Cluj head coach Daniel Pancu had confirmed that talks to terminate the player’s deal well ahead of time were underway in December. Pancu said: "Zouma, I know there were discussions between him and the club to find a solution for him to leave. And that's about it.”

Kurt Zouma leaves CFR Cluj as free agent

The club’s Director of Football has now issued a statement claiming that the player had ‘resigned’ and put the problem down to a ‘very high salary’. Zouma had not played for Cluj since October, which was a cameo appearance from the bench against Dinamo Bucuresti.

The Romanian outfit did not win a single league game in which Zouma appeared this season with the player only tasting victory with the side in a 4-0 Romanian Cup win over Slatina. It’s the latest controversy for Zouma in a career that has often made the headlines for the wrong reasons.

Chelsea paid a reported £12 million to sign the defender from Saint-Etienne in January 2014 and Zouma would go on to make 151 appearances for the Blues. He picked up two Premier League winners medals, as well as a Champions League and Super Cup while at Stamford Bridge.

Zouma eventually fell out of favour and was sent on loan to Stoke City and Everton before West Ham forked out £30 million for his services in August 2021. The centre-back made 103 Hammers appearances, scoring six goals and helping the side to a Conference League win.

Zouma on West Ham ‘family’

The ex West Ham man spent last season on loan at Saudi side Al-Orobah and last played for the Hammers in May 2024, captaining the team in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.

On leaving the London Stadium last year, Zouma labelled the club his ‘forever family’ after four years on the books. He said: “West Ham fans, it’s time for me to say goodbye. 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! Big thank you to all the fans for your support. I will miss you all! You’ll be forever my family.”

West Ham are in the market for a new centre-back after yet another leaky performance from Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos against Wolves in the 3-0 defeat but a return for Zouma feels highly unlikely with the club having only just managed to get his lofty wages off the bill.

In other news, West Ham's 3 realistic candidates to replace Nuno Espirito Santo after sack chants at Wolves.