John Terry has sent Chelsea 's Kurt Zouma a message after Tottenham Hotspur were linked with the defender.
Zouma has been touted to depart Stamford Bridge this summer, with minutes under Thomas Tuchel proving hard to come by in the second half of last season due to the form of Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva.
West Ham United have reportedly been priced out of a move for the man Jose Mourinho signing from St Etienne in 2014 and has picked up two Premier League winners medals but has spent two of his seven seasons out on loan with Stoke City and Everton.
Terry, who spent three years as teammates with the Frenchman, has taken to Social Media to send the 26-year-old a message.
Under Sky Sports' Instagram post regarding the potential move, the former Chelsea captain wrote: "Don't do it."
Highly rated as a youngster, many expected Zouma to be part of the Blues' rearguard for years to come, but a combination of injuries and hot competition has seen him fail to secure a place.
Asked about Zouma’s situation during pre-season, Tuchel said: "Kurt comes from a very different situation.
"Kurt was part of the team for half a year, I know him exactly, what I can demand from him, what he can give to the team," he stated.
"He was part of a very successful half a season.
"He was a very lively part of it, maybe not in minutes but I want to remember he was a crucial member of the team that won 2-0 against Atletico, for example."
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Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also seeking for game-time, but the German says their pair's situation are "not comparable."
"When he was needed, and he had some tough decisions against him, but when he delivered," Tuchel added regarding Zouma.
"So the situation isn’t comparable to Ruben," he stated.
"Ruben needs to show now everything in some weeks if that’s possible. For Kurt, it’s different as I know what he can deliver."
Although his wage demands have reportedly prevented a move to West Ham, native outlet L'Equipe believe the centre-back is interested in a move to East London.
This would allow Chelsea to push to sign Sevilla's Jules Kounde, another French centre-back.
However, Tuchel has another defender bidding to cement himself in the starting XI, Trevoh Chalobah.
The 22-year-old joined the club 14 years ago and made his first-team home debut on Sunday, rifling in the Blues' second goal as they beat Crystal Palace 3-0.
Post-match, Tuchel affirmed how important the Cobham academy graduates are to him.
"We will never stop doing so," he said on giving youngsters a chance.
"Chalobah plays alongside Reece James and Mason Mount. This is how it has to be."
"This is what we love. This is what everyone loves about football – a mix of famous players from abroad and quality players from the academy."
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