Arsenal are still in talks with Sevilla over the signing of Steven N’Zonzi according to France Football.
The French outlet claims that Arsenal are not prepared to pay the €40m than the La Liga side wants for the midfielder and are actively trying to lower what they are asking for.
In other words, they are negotiating.
The stories around N’Zonzi have refused to die down all summer even though it’s hard to see where he fits into the squad unless you sell a midfielder like Aaron Ramsey.
As we know, Ramsey is out of contract next summer and in talks with the club about renewing which all at Daily Cannon hopes he does.
Reporting last week, Le10Sport claimed that Arsenal, West Ham United and Everton are all still interested in signing the France international, but none of them have made a formal offer just yet.
According to the French outlet the three clubs all ‘insist’ on bringing the midfielder back to the Premier League this summer.
N’Zonzi is reportedly very popular with English teams, and the report suggested official offers will start to come in now the World Cup is over. For the time being, it’s all just ‘interest’ though.
One of N’Zonzi’s former teammates at Blackburn Rovers, Benni McCarthy, dropped a hint that the player is looking for a Premier League move on Instagram.
He wrote a comment saying “Back to the Premier League now my friend and finish them wit [sic] your skills.”
Interesting find by @Matt_bauer5. This was a reply to N’zonzi by his former teammate at @Rovers. pic.twitter.com/Hhcm0DjTkj
— Arsènic™ (@MrArsenicTM) July 17, 2018
With Arsenal making a lot of midfield signings already, these rumours still seem a bit far-fetched. N’Zonzi clearly wants a move to England, so the more cynical among us might suggest that perhaps his agent is fuelling talk of Arsenal interest to get other top Premier League clubs involved.
The story is just a bit too easy. The media always link Arsenal to tall, physical midfielders, N’Zonzi worked with Unai Emery at Sevilla, and the player himself fell out with the club earlier last season.
It has all the ingredients for your standard transfer story. We’ll believe it when one of the more reliable publications report it.