Arsenal must trigger Steven N’Zonzi’s £35m release clause if they want to sign him, says Sevilla chief

N’Zonzi has long been linked with a move to Arsenal and with questions now being asked of his future in Spain, Unai Emery could be the man to push through a deal

N’Zonzi signed a new deal with Sevilla in January 2017 (Getty)

Arsenal will need to trigger Steven N’Zonzi’s £35m release clause if they want to sign the midfielder, Sevilla’s director of football has said.

Unai Emery, who succeeded Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager last month, brought the Frenchman to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in 2015 during his tenure as Sevilla boss. He spent one season working alongside the midfielder before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain.

N’Zonzi has long been linked with a move to Arsenal and with questions now being asked of his future in Spain, Emery could be the man to push through a deal.

However, Sevilla’s director of football Joaquin Caparros insists the only way to land N’Zonzi will be by coughing up the money to trigger the player’s release clause.

“Is that a rumour or is it true?” he posed to Radio Seville .

“Has Unai Emery called you? Well, as a successful man, Unai Emery knows what line the club keeps.

“If he wants N’Zonzi, he will have to call and put the bid in. And the bid is the clause. If you put that bid in, then there are no more negotiations [over the fee].”

N’Zonzi signed a new deal with Sevilla in January 2017, tying him down until the summer of 2020.

Caparros added: “We could even extend the contract, if the coach gives the green light. Everything is possible.”

Arsenal have already confirmed full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner as their first signing of the summer and are poised to announce Sokratis Papastathopoulos as their latest transfer.