Barcelona eyeing move for Sevilla’s World Cup winner Steven Nzonzi as deal for Adrien Rabiot stalls

BARCELONA have begun pursuing Sevilla's Steven Nzonzi as a deal for PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot appears increasingly unlikely, according to reports.

The former Stoke and Blackburn midfielder, who won the World Cup with France this summer, is deemed to be a much more attainable target for the Spanish champions.

4

Nzonzi, 29, played five times for Didier Deschamps' Les Bleus in Russia as they stormed to a second World Cup triumph.

Barcelona had been tracking Rabiot, the man Nzonzi kept out of Deschamps' squad, but PSG's reluctance to sell on the cheap has forced them to turn elsewhere.

Nzonzi himself could still command a £35m fee due to the release clause in his contract, according to .

Barcelona are desperate for central midfield replacements this summer after losing two stars to the Far East.

4

LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS

Kelle the elephant 

My boss asked me to draw elephant in meeting - but there's a reason

RUBE AWAY

'No second way' - Amorim reveals three major changes he wants from Man Utd flops

FROWN JULE

West Ham 'sound out CL final manager' as Lopetegui 'has two games to save job'

WELL I NEV-ER

Neville admits 'I got it wrong' and apologises to Rashford in Amorim chat

4

Club legend Andres Iniesta signed for Japan's Vissel Kobe to end 22 years in Catalonia, while Brazilian Paulinho rejoined Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande.

Nzonzi had been linked to Arsenal after they brought in his former Sevilla boss Unai Emery, but the Gunners signed 22-year-old Uruguayan Lucas Torreira instead.

Rabiot has also been linked to Juventus as PSG consider a move for Borussia Dortmund's Julian Weigl.

Weigl, like Rabiot a left-footed deep-lying midfielder, is a key target for new PSG boss Thomas Tuchel, who wants to bring the German with him from Dortmund.

4