Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Steven N'Zonzi and Claudio Marchisio

Chelsea are reportedly battling with Manchester City to secure the signing of Sevilla's star midfielder Steven N'Zonzi in the summer.

According to John Richardson of the Sunday Mirror, the two Premier League sides are leading the way in the pursuit of the 28-year-old, who has been in imperious form this season for the Andalusian outfit.

Richardson noted that N'Zonzi has turned down the offer of a contract extension from Sevilla and will be available for £25 million at the end of the season. That's a sum you sense the Blues, City and many other clubs would be willing to pay. Italian champions Juventus are also noted as suitors.

As this clip illustrates, N'Zonzi has been an omnipotent presence at the base of Jorge Sampaoli's midfield so far this season:

During his time in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City, the midfielder was impressive. However, since he moved to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in 2015, he's pushed his game on to new heights.

Physically, N'Zonzi is indomitable, winning aerial battles and shrugging opponents off the ball. However, it's his work in possession that has kicked on in Spain, with the midfielder adept at managing the pace of a game from a deeper position.

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As these numbers from the Futbol de Andalucia Twitter account note, N'Zonzi has consequently blossomed into a crucial player for the club:

Given how multifaceted a footballer he is, most managers of elite clubs would love to add N'Zonzi to their squads. For Blues boss Antonio Conte, who has high standards for his players in terms of physicality and technical ability, he'd be excellent competition for N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic in the middle of the park.

The Sevilla man will likely have a big decision to make come the end of the campaign, with a swarm of elite clubs seemingly circling. 

Claudio Marchisio Linked

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According to Nicola Balice of Calciomercato.com (translated by Jean-Luca Mascaro), Conte is considering bringing Claudio Marchisio to Chelsea from Juventus.

The Italy international has struggled to find a regular place in the Juve team this season under Massimiliano Allegri, having recovered from a recent injury layoff. That's said to have spiked the interest of the Blues, as well as Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Although he's not been a linchpin for the Bianconeri this term, when he is on the field and in form, the Italian can make such a difference to his side:

The 31-year-old is an elegant footballer in the middle of the park. But with Miralem Pjanic coming into the team and thriving alongside Sami Khedira, Marchisio has had to make do with a spot on the bench for much of the campaign.

Football writer David Amoyal noted recently that there is a lot of quality in the midfield and forward positions at Juventus Stadium:

Conte has worked with Marchisio at Juventus and Italy in the past and will therefore know his skill set inside out. The playmaker's ability to cling on to possession, get about the pitch and make incisive decisions on the ball would make him a big asset for the Blues.

However, it'd be a big surprise if Juventus decided to let Marchisio leave. Given his advancing years and the serious nature of his recent injuries, Allegri is being smart in his utilisation of the midfielder. He may not be getting as many minutes, but Marchisio can still make his presence felt in Turin for a while yet.