Chelsea have received a massive boost as Sevilla president Jose Castro has denied reports of any Juventus offer for their star midfielder Steven N’Zonzi. The midfielder is one of the targets for Antonio Conte who has been monitoring the player for quite a while.
The midfielder has gone on to a different level since leaving Stoke City in 2015. The French midfielder has been an integral part of the Sevilla squad that has gone from strength to strength.
Sevilla finished in the fourth position last season after showing some smart football and N’Zonzi has been a vital cog for the Spanish team as he led the team from the front with some inspiring display. This is the player’s second season with the club and he has been ever-present in the team since his arrival in Spain.
The tenacious midfielder is one of the most hardworking players in the modern era and has attracted a number of envious glances with his impressive work rate. A host of clubs including the likes of Juventus has enquired about the player’s availability.
Max Allegri has an enviable cast of midfielders with the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio at his disposal but the Italian wants a razor-sharp midfielder in the squad to enable Pjanic to express himself freely.
The 28-year-old signed a contract extension in January and has a mammoth £35m release clause in his contract. Chelsea right now have a number of talented midfielders but beyond Nemanja Matic, N’Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas, Conte has demanded a rugged midfielder for the upcoming season.
We all are aware of Matic and Kante’s capability but the former has widely been linked with a move to Manchester United. And if this situation arises, the need for a proper physical presence would emerge and N’Zonzi could be that key player.
While Fabregas is more creative, N’Zonzi is more comfortable in sitting deep and rotating the possession of the ball. If Conte opts to play with a three-man midfield, N’Zonzi would be the ideal player to support Kante and Fabregas.
With Chelsea scheduled to participate in the Champions League, it is going to be a very hectic fixture list for the English champions and to maintain the balance of the team, Conte needs to inject some players with greater quality and vision.
The ex-Stoke and Blackburn Rovers midfielder has plenty of experience of playing in the Premier League and would be a great addition to Conte’s squad.
