With just a week left before the transfer window slams shut, Evertonians have tried to take the lead on their team's recruitment drive.
Blues fans have responded to a series of Twitter posts with the hashtag “FreeZouma” and have been so prolific that it started trending in the UK.
The declaration refers to Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma who enjoyed a successful campaign on loan at Goodison Park last season and was wanted by Everton manager Marco Silva on a permanent deal.
Such hopes were complicated by Chelsea's transfer ban being upheld ensuring that the London club cannot bring in any new players during the current window and the Blues chances of landing the France international seemed to take a blow though when Frank Lampard , the new manager at Stamford Bridge, declared that he wanted to keep Zouma.
Back on July 19, Lampard said: “In terms of Kurt Zouma, he’s a very good defender for us, very good player, very good person and professional,
“I want him here, simple as that. We are competitive with the centre-backs we have in the team and he had a very good season at Everton and I can understand why they want him.
“He’s a Chelsea player and I want him.”
The #FreeZouma phenomenon even went international when the English language Twitter account of Russia club Zenit St Petersburg marked their capture of Barcelona's Brazilian winger who had previously been linked to the Blues by declaring: “Hey Everton, now Malcom's here, you gonna go for Zouma? #FreeZouma
Two signings Everton are looking to complete in the coming days are Mainz midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin who was undergoing a medical on Friday and Juventus striker Moise Kean.
Ivory Coast international Gbamin is viewed as a direct replacement for Idrissa Gueye and is moving more swiftly than the deal for Kean although negotiations remain on course and the Blues are hopeful of concluding his switch from the Italian giants over the weekend when his medical is set to take place.
