Everton manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed he wants to sign Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi next month but players would have to leave to facilitate a move.
N’Zonzi is widely expected to leave Sevilla in January after falling out with the Spanish side and Everton and Arsenal are the frontrunners for his signature.
Allardyce is keen on reuniting with the France international but has conceded that unless players leave then it would be difficult to justify outlaying more than £20m on an area of the pitch they are already well stocked.
“I’d be very interested in Steven but if you have a look at how many footballers there are at the club, then it is impossible for me to block that up even more," The Daily Mail quote Allardyce as saying.
“We would be better served in other areas – like another goalscorer, maybe a full-back. After that who knows.
“I wouldn’t envisage us getting more than two in. I don’t think we need more than two.”
N’Zonzi has established himself as one of the best midfielders in Spain since leaving Stoke to join Sevilla in 2015.
In fact, of players that have made at least five La Liga appearances since August 2015, N’Zonzi averages the most passes per game (70.2).
