Reported Arsenal and Everton target Steven Nzonzi is on his way out of Rennes with the Ligue 1 outfit keen to get his £100,000-a-week pay packet off the wage bill, as reported by FootMercato.
One year ago this month, the Breton-based outfit were warbling along to the iconic Champions League anthem in the dead of night, qualification for Europe’s premiere club competition for the first time in their history sparking wild celebrations at the Roazhon Park.
12 months on, Rennes have slipped into the mediocrity of mid-table, 15 points behind fourth-placed Monaco and wondering where it all went wrong.
World Cup-winning France international Nzonzi was supposed to take Rennes to a whole new level when he arrived on loan from Roma last summer.
Instead, the former Stoke and Blackburn play-maker has looked sluggish and slow, lethargic and languid in the centre of the park.
So much so that, according to FM, Rennes have no plans to turn his short-term deal into a permanent contract with Nzonzi failing to justify his staggering £100,000-a-week wages.
With the 20-capped midfielder out of favour at Roma, it looks for all the world that he will be sold to the highest bidder during the summer transfer window.
FootMercato reported a few weeks ago that both Arsenal and Everton are mulling over the idea of bringing Nzonzi back to the Premier League for a late-career swansong in England.
But, at the age of 32 and following a forgettable spell in Ligue 1, the Gunners and the Toffees could be forgiven for having second thoughts.
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