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STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - APRIL 25: Steven N'Zonzi of Stoke City arrives prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Sunderland at Britannia Stadium on April 25, 2015 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - APRIL 25: Steven N'Zonzi of Stoke City arrives prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Sunderland at Britannia Stadium on April 25, 2015 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Steven Nzonzi to Sevilla: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

Matt JonesJul 9, 2015

Sevilla have completed the signing of Steven Nzonzi from Stoke City on a £7 million deal, per BBC Sport. The midfielder has penned a four-year deal at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

News of the deal was confirmed via the official Sevilla Twitter account (in Spanish), as the Frenchman leaves the Britannia Stadium after a three-year spell with the Potters. Nzonzi’s displays at the heart of the Stoke midfield won him the club's Player of the Year award in 2014-15.

His performances have clearly caught the eye of the Europa League winners, who will be playing in the Champions League next season.

Per Stuart James of the Guardian, with Nzonzi reportedly expressing a will to join the La Liga club, and just one year remaining on his Stoke contract, it was a deal that always seemed inevitable.

As we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, the Frenchman will bring a physical presence to the heart of the Andalusians’ midfield:

But Nzonzi has showcased the kind of technical quality to flourish in a division like La Liga too. He’s a capable distributor of the ball, is comfortable surging forward in possession and also boasts a thunderous strike from long range.

BLACKBURN, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14: Stoke player Steven Nzonzi in action during the FA Cup Fifth round match between Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City at Ewood park on February 14, 2015 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Stu Forster/Getty Images

For Stoke, his ability will be a big miss. Indeed, sports journalist Kristan Heneage thinks Sevilla have landed themselves a real player:

The Europa League winners are a club renowned for their expert scouting system, with players often coming in for meagre fees before excelling and being moved on for a major profit. So it’s a testament to Nzonzi’s broad skill set that Sevilla have identified him as a player that can make a difference.

There will be a transition period for the midfielder and it may take him some time to find a defined role in a Sevilla midfield packed with quality options.

But Nzonzi has long shown the requisite qualities needed to thrive at a more illustrious club and the Champions League will be a wonderful platform to show he's got what's required to mix it with the very best.

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