According to a recent report by Calciomercatonews, Arsenal boss Unai Emery could reignite his interest on Steven Nzonzi if Roma’s Monchi becomes their new director of football. The same source has also added that if Monchi ends up moving to North London to become the new head of recruitment for Arsenal following the departures of Ivan Gazidis and Sven Mislintat, then the Gunners will turn their attention towards recruiting Nzonzi.
The French midfielder joined AS Roma last summer but has struggled to get himself going in the Serie A so far. His performances this season has been underwhelming at times, so it is difficult to see the reasoning behind Emery’s desire to be reunited with his former player.
It is quite likely that the Gunners boss might know the winning formula to get the best out of the former Blackburn Rovers prospect as he knows him well from their time together at Sevilla. However, it will be a massive gamble for Arsenal to go for a player who just turned 30 back in December.
The Colombes born talent has made 28 appearances for Roma this term, scoring one goal while creating two assists across all competitions. Despite his poor record this season, Nzonzi can still be a powerhouse in midfield when playing with confidence on the pitch.
If Emery can find a way to get Nzonzi going, then it could give Arsenal an edge over their fellow top 4 contenders as there are not many powerful midfield talents around in European football these days. The 30-year-old has also earned 14 international caps for the French national side during his career.
The potential acquisition of Nzonzi will undoubtedly bolster Emery’s midfield options at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have already got the likes of Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Joe Willock who are all vying for a midfield starting berth in Arsenal’s first-team. However, with Aaron Ramsey all set to leave the club at the end of this campaign in favour of a move to Juventus, Nzonzi could be an ideal candidate to fill the shoes of the Welshman and offer something different in midfield.
Due to his incredible length and ability to make a good leap, the French midfield ace can be a significant influence at both ends of the pitch. However, one can argue whether he will fit Emery’s style of play at North London which is mainly based on possession-based football. There are significant doubts over the Frenchman’s ability to re-adapt his game in the Premier League this late in his career. Hence, the Gunners might be better off pursuing someone who will add more long-term value to the organisation.
