According to a recent report by Sky Sports, Arsenal are keen to land Sevilla midfield ace, Steven N’Zonzi. The report states that N’Zonzi is at the top of the wish-list of Arsenal’s new boss Unai Emery and that he has been shown the green light to pursue the World Cup winner who has shown interest in making the move. However, the Spanish giants have slapped a price tag of £36million on his collar, and it would be intriguing to see what transpires in the coming days.
Emery has been quick to strengthen the squad he inherited from Arsene Wenger. The former Paris Saint-Germain manager has already signed Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, Matteo Guendouzi, Sokratis and Stephan Lichtsteiner as immediate measures to fix the patent loopholes that existed in his side. But he has kept the door open for one or two new signings and apparently, N’Zonzi seems to be on his radar.
The 29-year-old started his senior career with Amiens and was introduced to English football by Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2009. After his spell with the Rovers, he switched to Stoke City and eventually moved to the ranks of Sevilla in the summer transfer window of 2015. Over the years, he has certainly seen an upward trajectory in his career.
Besides, he has also represented the France national side on a few occasions and thus, it goes without saying that he has immense experience under his belt. The central midfield has been one of the weaknesses for the North London based outfit and someone like N’Zonzi could be a healthy addition to tighten up the middle of the park.
The French international made 27 appearances in La Liga last term, scoring 1 goal and garnering 2 assists. Besides, he also made 1.4 tackles, 1 interception, 1.3 clearances and 0.3 blocks per game on an average. His pass completion rate of 88% was also notable. N’Zonzi showcases an excellent work-ethic more often not, tries to dictate the tempo of the game from the middle of the park and he is commendable in the air as well.
Moreover, he is familiar with English football and settling in the Premier League shouldn’t be a cause of concern for him. N’Zonzi was a regular starter when Emery was the boss of Sevilla and was a member of their Europa League winning side. Currently, the Gunners are negotiating the price set by Sevilla for N’Zonzi. The midfielder is arguably in the peak period of his career and Arsenal should benefit massively if the deal materializes.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
