Arsenal are reportedly keen on signing Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi who they view as the new Patrick Vieira.
N’Zonzi hit the headlines on Sunday, scoring the only goal of the game as Sevilla beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to move top of La Liga for a few hours, until Real Madrid’s win over Athletic later in the day.
The former Stoke City player was impressive throughout the game with Sport reporting that both Arsenal and Chelsea want to bring him back to the Premier League.
N’Zonzi reportedly has a release clause of €30m and is contracted to Sevilla until 2019 which has attracted the attention of both London clubs.
Certainly the midfielder has shone since moving to La Liga, despite being sent off on his debut against Malaga.
The 27-year-old was part of the Sevilla side that beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final of the Europa League last season to make it a hat-trick of titles.
N’Zonzi’s form means it is little surprise to see him linked to top clubs, particularly with his Premier League experience gained at Blackburn and Stoke City.
His long limbs, ball retrieval and style are certainly reminiscent of Vieira which is bound to excite Arsenal fans, and he perhaps offers a physical presence the Gunners do not currently possess.
However, Arsenal are certainly not short of options in midfield, particularly following the signing of Granit Xhaka in the summer, who is also considerably younger than the Frenchman.
The Gunners also have Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny as defensive options while Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla are also fighting for a place in central midfield.
However, while N’Zonzi’s quality is without doubt and comparisons with Vieira undeniable, it seems unlikely that central midfield is a position Arsenal are targeting considering the wealth of options they currently posses.