West Ham United and Aston Villa are fighting to secure a loan deal for Steven Nzonzi in the final days of the January transfer window, while Rennes are also in the frame.
The Frenchman has spent the first half of 2019/20 at Galatasaray, having agreed a temporary move from Roma in the summer. Unfortunately, he has failed to hold down a regular place in the Turks' starting lineup, with the midfielder now seeking a route out of Istanbul as he looks to impress international selectors.
According to Le10 Sport, Nzonzi is worried he will miss out on selection for France's squad at next summer's European Championships. As a result, his agent has made contact with several interested parties who could help take him away from Turk Telekom Stadium.
West Ham and Rennes have reportedly submitted an offer, and it's claimed they are the only two clubs left in the race. However, 90min understands Villa have been tracking him for a considerable length of time, before holding talks with the World Cup winner earlier in the month.
Dean Smith's team led the chasing pack, and there's no reason to believe they've abandoned the deal as we enter the last week of the window.
There's little doubt Nzonzi will be leaving Galatasaray in the coming days, though it's difficult to split the three sides pursuing him. Rennes may be pushing for Champions League qualification, but Villa and the Hammers have significantly more financial muscle.
On top of that, the English first division is a more attractive prospect for the 31-year-old, despite the pull of returning to his home country.
The Villans have been productive this month, the club backing Smith as they battle relegation from the top-flight. He would have plenty of use for a player like Nzonzi, who has six years of Premier League under his belt after spells at Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers.
Smith and his colleagues appeared to hold the cards at the start of the week, and they've shown they mean business in this transfer window, which could indicate where Nzonzi's future lies.
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Source : 90min