Kurt Zouma has been given permission by Chelsea to talk to clubs over a season-long loan deal following the £34million signing of Antonio Rudiger.

Stoke and West Brom are just two of several clubs that have expressed an interest and are due to have talks over a potential switch on Wednesday.

Zouma has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge for the past two months.

But coach Antonio Conte was only going to let the France international go once the club bought another defender. Chelsea bought Rudiger from Roma for £34m on Sunday.

Zouma made just 11 appearances after returning from a serious knee injury in January.

He has not demanded to leave the club, but Chelsea believe the centre-half will benefit from playing more regularly elsewhere next season.

Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta and Rudiger are ahead of him in the pecking order.

Conte also wants to give Andreas Christensen, who has just returned from a two-year loan spell at Borussia Monchengladbach, a chance to feature for the first team.

Crystal Palace were also in the hunt for Zouma, but they have opted to acquire Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan from Chelsea instead.

Rules dictate clubs cannot loan more than one player from another Premier League side.

Zouma had established himself as a first-team regular before injuring knee ligaments in February last year.

He needs first-team football to get back to full match fitness. Inter Milan, Sevilla, Valencia, Nice, Lyon and Marseille are among the other clubs that are interested.