Chelsea are reportedly set to have to fight off Manchester City in their pursuit of Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi but will have to spend big.
The Frenchman has continued to develop and improve during his time in Spain, and he has now reached a stage where he is a focal point of Jorge Sampaoli’s side.
In turn though, that has led to interest from around Europe in the 28-year-old, with AS reporting that both Chelsea and City are keen on signing him.
N’Zonzi has made 22 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring three goals and providing an assist while also establishing himself as a commanding presence in the middle of the pitch.
With both Chelsea and City out to strengthen their midfield, it’s no surprise that the former Stoke City ace has emerged on their transfer radars, and it now remains to be seen who can win the race to sign him.
It’s added in the report that the combative midfielder has a €30m clause in his contract and so any interested party will have to dig deep into their pockets and splash out on him.
However, Sevilla are seemingly calm about the situation and aren’t too concerned that a rival will meet the clause in the January transfer window as they expect N’Zonzi to remain until the end of the season at least.
The former Paris Saint-Germain youth star spent three years at Blackburn Rovers between 2009 and 2012 before moving to Stoke where he stayed until last year.
While his quality was always obvious, he has stepped it in Spain and would undoubtedly be a major asset for either Chelsea or City.