N’Zonzi completes Ksh 3.5 billion move to Serie A side Roma

Steven N’Zonzi has completed a £27million move to Serie A side Roma from Sevilla.

N’Zonzi, a former Blackburn and Stoke midfielder, had been a transfer target for Arsenal this summer but has now finalised terms after undergoing a medical in Rome on Tuesday afternoon.

He arrived in Italy’s capital to complete the switch, where he was greeted at Ciampino airport by a group of the club’s loyal fans.

Roma confirmed the news with a characteristically colourful announcement video, featuring fighter jets, rap music and police motorbikes that eventually saw N’Zonzi emerge from a black vehicle to meet supporters.

N’Zonzi later posed for photos with Roma’s director of football Monchi, who he worked with at former club Sevilla.

The Frenchman had been linked with a return to the Premier League with Arsenal but the Gunners would have needed to sell before bringing him in.

In a video earlier posted on Roma’s social media channels, the 29-year-old could be seen waving to supporters and posing for photographs before heading off to complete his move.

Although the transfer window closed for Premier League clubs last Thursday, European sides have until the end of the month to sign and register new players.

N’Zonzi is now set to become the latest high-profile figure to arrive at Roma this summer after the signings of Javier Pastore and Justin Kluivert.

An imposing defensive midfielder, N’Zonzi began his career in France with Amiens before moving to Blackburn in 2009.

He joined fellow Premier League side Stoke in 2012 before making the switch to La Liga three years later, where he developed into one of Spanish football’s best midfielders.

Last month N’Zonzi was part of the France squad that lifted the World Cup in Russia, starting once and making a further four appearances from the bench.

Report by Daily Mail