Everton boss Marco Silva has said in his pre-match press conference that the Toffees are close to signing Kurt Zouma on loan from Chelsea.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton made a late move for the 23-year-old defender on deadline day and managed to file a deal sheet before the 5 pm cut off point.

The Toffees were linked with a deadline day move for the French defender and now Silva has confirmed that the deal is sign Zouma on loan is ‘almost done‘. However, he has added that there is no option to buy the 23-year-old at the end of the loan spell.

Marco Silva on Zouma: “It’s almost done. Not official.”

— Phil Kirkbride (@philkecho) August 10, 2018

Silva confirms there is no option to buy Zouma at the end of the loan

— Phil Kirkbride (@philkecho) August 10, 2018

Everton signed Yerry Mina from Barcelona on the transfer deadline day for a fee of around £28.5 million, and Silva is happy to have him and Zouma in the squad for the 2018-19 season.

The former Watford boss also added the club needed to sign two centre backs this summer following the departures of Funes Mori and Ashley Williams.

“We sold Mori, Williams and bought Mina and Zouma. Everything is the same. Even last season the club brought in Mangala. We needed to bring in new centre-backs after Mori and Williams left,” said Silva, as quoted by Liverpool Echo.

From Silva’s comments, it is quite obvious that Everton are very close to completing the signing of Zouma. The highly promising Chelsea defender will become the seventh signing of the club, alongside Richarlison, Lucas Digne, Joao Virginia, Bernard, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes.