Sevilla Name Steven N'Zonzi Price Amid Arsenal and Barcelona Transfer Rumours
July 17, 2018
Sevilla's director of football Joaquin Caparros has insisted reported Arsenal target Steven N'Zonzi will not be leaving the club this summer for anything less than the €40 million (£35 million) buyout clause he has in his current contract.
When asked about the player's future, Caparros said the 29-year-old has been in touch throughout the FIFA World Cup and that no official offers have been received for the player yet, per Cadena Ser (h/t AS).
"Steven has two years remaining on his contract," he said. "We have texted each other during the World Cup, and I have congratulated him on his achievements with France, of course.
"We have not received any offers for him, and I will say the same to any clubs who may be interested as what we said with [Clement] Lenglet—he has a buyout clause, and it's €40 million."
As noted by AS, both the Gunners and Barcelona have been linked with a possible move for N'Zonzi.
N'Zonzi moved to Sevilla in 2015 from Stoke City and has enjoyed a fine spell with the La Liga side.
The former Potters player has also showcased his class on the international stage, playing a part in France's 2018 FIFA World Cup win. He was used as a substitute by manager Didier Deschamps during the second half of Les Bleus' 4-2 win over Croatia in Sunday's final.
Interest from illustrious clubs such as those mentioned is not a shock as a result. The Get French Football News Twitter account believes N'Zonzi would represent excellent value:
There's no doubt N'Zonzi would bring a massive presence to the midfield of any side willing to pay his release clause.
In Spain he has used his range of attributes to win battles in the middle third of the pitch. Physically, few opponents get the better of the Sevilla man, as he's colossal in aerial duels and uses his dominant frame to win possession back.
Moving to La Liga has also been a catalyst for improvements in other areas of his game. N'Zonzi has refined his technical play, as he's able to use the ball much more effectively now than when he first arrived in the country.
It also means he'd be adept at slotting into a team like Arsenal or Barcelona, two sides renowned for playing possession-based football. These figures sum up the type of impact N'Zonzi can have on a team:
The issue for any side seeking to sign N'Zonzi will be his age. Although there aren't many signs of him slowing down any time soon, the France international turns 30 in December, and it would be understandable if there were some hesitation in parting with so much money as a result.
You sense both Arsenal and Barcelona would hope to do a deal for a sum less than the release clause noted. Yet given how key N'Zonzi remains to the La Liga side and how high is stock is after a fine World Cup, it would be surprising if Sevilla were to undercut themselves below the player's trigger amount.