The Blues defender is nearing a return to Antonio Conten's plans after an appearances in the EFL Trophy and he is ready for it, according to Adi Viveash.

 Kurt Zouma is ready to step up to Chelsea's first team according to the club's development squad coach who has helped him on his road back to Antonio Conte's squad


The 23-year-old tore his cruciate ligament against Manchester United in February and completed his first 90 minutes since when he helped Chelsea to beat Oxford United on penalties in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday.

Adi Viveash has had Zouma in his ranks to build up his match fitness ahead of a return to the first team for his last two Premier League 2 matches and thinks that the France international is ready for his next step.

"I'd say he is ready to train with you [Conte], yes," he told a press conference at Stamford Bridge. "He has been a privilege to work with, he is a fine young player, he has been tremendous with the boys, he works very, very hard every day.

"He has been really good and he gives good advice, but you have still got to remember that he is very young and he has now got to get into a defence that is performing excellently at the minute but what he does do is that he gives the manager another quality player and that, I imagine, is important for his squad.

"I would imagine [that he will return soon to the first team], he has trained with them a few days of last week then going into this game he came back with us on Sunday, two days before this. He did a few days with them and he did a few days a week before.

"He is building up and the manager is getting to look at him. He is getting closer and I think he is waiting to see if he gets through 90 and now we will see if there are any problems with the knee tomorrow.

"He will come in and cool down and then after Thursday he will train with the players that have not gone on international duty."

Zouma scored twice in the 13-12 penalty shootout win but Chelsea were knocked out of the Checkatrade Trophy after losing games against Swindon Town and Exeter City's first teams.

Chelsea took the lead after Josimar Quintero's opener but were pegged back by Oxford's Kane Hemmings in stoppage time. Viveash thinks that his side's match against Oxford was a real test for Zouma and that Conte will have taken note of the performance.

"That was a proper game [for Zouma]," Viveash added. "In terms of fitness because he is playing against first-team players, yes, like Maguire. Especially when Thomas and Hemmings came on.

"They obviously are first-team players who are playing quite a lot, Maguire is better wide but they stuck him down the middle. In the first half, we defended very well. But [Zouma] didn't really have a number nine up against him.

"They fluctuated in their system, but in the second half there was more of a presence. He got a few whacks in the mouth but pace wise he certainly looked quick and strong which is what people say when they look at his game.


"He is jumping above the crossbar like he always does and his distribution was good, in the main, so he will have felt the benefit from the game. We are pleased to have helped him on his road and now it goes to the powers that be to decide what happens with him."

source:goal.com