According to latest reports, Chelsea are the latest club to join the race for Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi. The towering figure in Sevilla’s midfield has been one of the biggest reasons for their outstanding run in the La Liga this season and he has attracted a host of clubs.
Among Chelsea’s biggest competitors to land him is Premier League giants Manchester City and a bidding war is expected to take place coming summer for the signature of the 28-year-old. Chelsea’s midfield has been quite efficient this season with Cesc Fabregas pulling the strings from deep midfield and N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic taking care of the pressing. And next season, with more fixtures to deal with, a figure like N’Zonzi could be a huge addition to Chelsea.
Similarly, for Manchester City, Yaya Toure has remained a hugely important player for the team this season too, and Guardiola sees N’Zonzi as the closest thing to the former Ivory Coast international. And his hot form has made it all the more imperative for the clubs to get him. His previous stints with Premier League clubs, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers have been decent, but at Sevilla, he has been simply outstanding.
He has started in 24 games for them and Sevilla have won 16 of them, drawing four and losing thrice. He has even scored twice and assisted twice in La Liga. In Sevilla’s Champions League campaign too, he has bagged a goal. The 196cm central midfielder pretty much oversees the game from the middle of the park. A domineering force in the air, N’Zonzi wins almost every header giving direction to Sevilla’s game and has been a huge threat from set-pieces too.
The player has apparently turned down a contract extension offer from the club and the La Liga side is willing to sell him next season if they get anything in the region of £25 million. Chelsea and Manchester City could easily meet that price. However, Juventus is also a prime suitor for him and might pose competition.
One of the biggest advantages of having him would be that he could be thrown into the middle of the fast-paced football in England. Owing to his previous stints in English football, he is up and ready for the task now. Although his physical attributes make him one of the ideal candidates in England, it was all too easy for him in Spain, which will not be the case here.
