Football
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Sevilla in talks with Steven N'Zonzi for contract extension

Sevilla are in contract talks with Steven N'Zonzi in a bid to keep the French midfielder at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium beyond his current contract, which expires in 2019.

N'Zonzi has been a big hit at the club, making 12 starts in all competitions this season. He scored the only goal in Sevilla's 1-0 triumph over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

"We are working on N'Zonzi's contract extension and we are in negotiations," Sevilla president Jose Castro told Spanish radio Cadena Cope. "We hope to announce it soon."

The Colombes-born player joined Sevilla in the summer of 2015 after three seasons at Stoke City and started 22 games in his first La Liga campaign, though he did not make a significant impact.

"There are players that come here, put the jersey on and are right away leaders playing until the day they leave, like [former Sevilla stars] Davor Suker or [Grzegorz] Krychowiak," Castro said. "There are others like N'Zonzi that take longer to adapt.

"That was the case last season and he needed more time to adapt. Right now he is in the ideal situation to win at Sevilla and he is doing just that."

Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli has praised the work done by N'Zonzi this season and says the player is getting better in every game.

"N'Zonzi is having great performances, he is consolidating himself in the heart of our play, which allows him to grow," he told the club website.

A new deal for N'Zonzi would allow Sevilla to fend off the player's potential suitors.

The Andalusian club reportedly turned down an offer of €30 million from defending Premier League champions Leicester for N'Zonzi this summer, according to AS newspaper.

"N'Zonzi costs us around €8m," Castro said. "He is a very good player. He will be expensive the day we sell him.

"But right now, I wouldn't sell N'Zonzi for anything."

N'Zonzi is just happy to have a starring role at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.

The Frenchman's first goal of the season on Sunday ended Atletico's 11-game unbeaten run while it stretched Sevilla's winning streak to five games in all competitions.

"I'm very happy to have scored my first goal of the campaign," N'Zonzi told the club website. "But the most important thing is that the team won."

Sunday's victory lifted Sevilla to second in La Liga, one point adrift of table-toppers Real Madrid after nine rounds.

"It's too early to talk about being title contenders as the season is very long, but we just have to keep growing," N'Zonzi said.

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