Leicester and Newcastle should go all out for Sevilla’s N’Zonzi

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Leicester City and Newcastle United should each put their full weight behind trying to sign Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi.

A good player in his Stoke City days, Steven N’Zonzi has greatly improved during his time at Sevilla, becoming a dominant central midfielder in Spain the past two seasons with a variety of different weapons in his attribute locker.

However, the 28-year-old clealy feels he is ready for a new challenge – reports in The Sun have stated the Frenchman has handed in a transfer request and wants to leave the La Liga club.

The Ex-Blackburn and Stoke man’s release clause is £36.1m (according to The Sun) which is a serious amount of money, but once again in this current inflated market it is difficult to pinpoint the true value of players – however, N’Zonzi could be one that is actually worth the price for Premier League clubs.

Leicester City’s key midfielder Danny Drinkwater has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea, as reported by The Express, and should they convince him, N’Zonzi would be an ideal replacement, if not an improvement.

Drinkwater’s strengths lay in his energy and passing ability on the ball – two areas the French midfielder excels in.

It would be a significant outlay for Craig Shakespeare but with the money brought in from winning the Premier League and competing in the Champions League that investment surely must go straight into the team.

A chance to play in the Premier League again for a team that were champions as little as just over a season ago could be the drawing factor.

Newcastle United would be another who could benefit from the Frenchman’s talent. There have been consistent rumblings about manager Rafael Benitez’s unhappiness due to the club’s inactivity in the transfer market – with some suggestions the Spanish boss is considering his future at St. James’ Park, according to the Daily Mail.

With Premier League experience and combative qualities in midfield, N’Zonzi would be ideal for newly promoted Newcastle in their attempts to consolidate a place in the top division.

The transfer fee would be large but would be exactly the signal of intent from managing director Lee Charney and owner Mike Ashley to convince Benitez there is potential at the club.

Part of the draw of coming to Newcastle would also lay in the ex-Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid’s manager’s allure, and there is certainly a project full of ambition at Tyneside.

There may be bigger clubs after his signature, but if The Foxes and The Magpies both offer to build a team around him and put their money where their mouth is, N’Zonzi may consider making one of them his new home.