Arsenal: Steven N’Zonzi to replace or partner Granit Xhaka?

Steven N’Zonzi has confirmed that his future lies away from Sevilla. If Arsenal, as has been reported, were to sign him, would replace or partner Granit Xhaka?

Steven N’Zonzi is seemingly set to leave Sevilla. The defensive midfielder, who has flourished since making the switch to La Liga, anchors the midfield of the Spanish side with the same leggy range that he showed at Stoke City, but with added discipline and composure.

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But he is not happy. Speaking amid rumours of a departure after he flew into London, N’Zonzi had this to say about his current situation:

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"“The coach pointed the finger at me [at half-time of the Liverpool game]. I will not repeat it, but his words affected me. Publicly, he said in future he would only select players who fit his vision for football. What does that mean? ‘Whether in a 4-3-3, 3-5-2 or any other formation, a player must adapt to what his coach demands and I have always done it. The fact I was always professional despite the circumstances, that I always did my job, I found it unfair. My future is clearly away from Seville. The only thing that disappoints me is the way it has ended.”"

They are comments that have excited many Arsenal fans, myself included. N’Zonzi, while perhaps tainted by his time at Stoke, which is natural given the broad brush stokes that players who play at the Britannia are painted with, would be the ideal player redress the balance of a midfield that has been heavily tailored towards the slighter, more technical members of the squad.

The question, then, if Arsene Wenger was to make a move for N’Zonzi, which has been widely reported in the media, is what role he would play, specifically relating to Granit Xhaka, the man who, thanklessly, has been tasked with holding down a midfield that is criminally naive and untamed.

Should N’Zonzi come into the team and partner Xhaka, providing a more stable base to release the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil from their defensive shackles? Or should Wenger persist with the sole holding player, simply swapping one man out for the other?

If he were to take the latter avenue, then he would have to change the shape of the side. In the current 3-4-3 structure that is implemented, one of the central midfield spots will always be Ramsey’s. There is only room for one other player. At the moment, that is Xhaka. Could it be N’Zonzi? The only way to partner the two would be to shift Ozil into a wide role and push Ramsey into an attacking midfield position, changing to a four-at-the-back. It may actually cost the team its defensive stability, not enhance it.

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For that reason, I feel that if N’Zonzi were to arrive, it would have to be as a replacement for Xhaka. He would be an improvement on the Swiss international, primarily because of his greater mobility and range. But would he be worth the £35 million needed to activate his release clause? It seems steep; it might be necessary.