Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma 'living the dream' since his arrival to Stamford Bridge

Kurt Zouma has claimed he is living a dream since his arrival to Chelsea while he expressed his happiness over his impressive performance in the League Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur, playing as a holding midfielder to replace the suspended Nemanja Matic.

The 20-year-old defender joined the Blues in January 2014 for around £12m ($18m) but remained on loan at Saint-Etienne for the rest of the campaign before making his permanent move to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Even though the French starlet was expected to just be back-up for John Terry and Gary Cahill, he has gradually earned regular playing time under manager Jose Mourinho and was chosen ahead of Cahill for crucial games such as the Premier League draw with Manchester City and the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

The centre-back was also one of the best players of the League Cup final against Spurs even though he was forced to play out of his favoured position.

"At first it was a bit difficult but after that I found my rhythm, so it was really good for me and a great feeling because I played a final at Wembley," he said.

"I think everybody here can play everywhere. If the manager wants you to play in another position, you have to be ready and say 'OK' because we have some big games, you know, and the most important thing is to help the team."

Mourinho praised his performances as a midfielder but assured his long-term future at the club will be at the heart of the defence.

Zouma, meanwhile, has already made a total of 19 first-team appearances this season and hopes to keep progressing to help the Blues to win more titles in the near future.

"My dream was first to play for Chelsea and then to win all the titles I can win," he said. "Now, I am in the dressing room with a lot of very good players – I am living the dream.

"When you play for Chelsea, you have to be ready for anything. If you play with nervousness in your mind, you cannot play very well, but if you can play with pace and stay calm at the same time, you will do very well in England, I think.

"I learn every time I play and that is what I wanted when I signed here. So I am very happy because we are a really good squad, with a really good manager, and we are doing good things together."