Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Friday, December 26, 2025, 7:19 p.m. / Updated Friday, December 26, 2025, 7:34 p.m.
The situation of the French defender Kurt Zouma (31 years old) at CFR Cluj has once again become the subject of the press in England. The British journalists reacted after the Transylvanians consider parting with the central defender, just a few months after the transfer.
The subject was resumed in the context of statements made by the president of the club, Iuliu Mureșan (71 years old), who confirmed that the defender who won the Champions League with Chelsea in the 2020/21 season is no longer part of the team's plans.
England taunts Kurt Zouma: “Who is facing a breakup after just 197 minutes at his new team?”
The English press treated the situation in an ironic note, emphasizing the discrepancy between the huge expectations and the reality in Cluj:
Who is facing a departure after just 197 minutes at his new club? Which former defender has his 'over-the-top' side dreaming of Champions League qualification?
Zouma was supposed to bring Champions League football back to a team that famously defeated Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2012. Instead, the ambitious and spendthrift Cluj approaches Christmas closer to the bottom of the Romanian ranking than to the European places.
The former West Ham captain played very little for his new team, who, according to the latest developments in Eastern Europe, it is to become his “former” team. Earning £45,000-a-week at a Cluj side now facing deep financial problems, taking Zouma off the payroll would certainly help in a time of austerity.– the publication noted hammers.news
The reality from Cluj: only 197 minutes for the Champions League winner
Although Zouma's CV was impressive on arrival (Champions League, two Premier Leagues with Chelsea and a Conference League winner with West Ham), the French defender has not confirmed at all.
Minutes played at CFR Cluj:
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11 minutes into his debut against UTA Arad (1-1), plus a yellow card
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85 minutes at Petrolul – CFR 1-0, another yellow card
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90 minutes only in the Romanian Cup, with the second division CSM Slatina (4-0)
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The last appearance was against Dinamo, stage #15 of the Superliga, they entered at 1-0, and CFR lost 1-2 after conceding two goals in two minutes
In total, the French defender has amassed 197 minutes in all competitions
4 million eurosis the Frenchman's market share, according to Transfermarkt
He is very positive, a good boy, but we don't need good guys, we need players who are fit. He is a quality boy, with character, he has an impressive physique, but some problems with both knees.
– declared Iuliu Muresan two weeks ago
