Report: Steven Nzonzi to Galatasaray on Loan

We all remember how last summer’s incoming transfer market went down. Unless, of course, you’re really good at blocking traumatic experiences from your mind. Roma had the rug pulled out from under them by Barcelona for Malcom, so something had to be done. Yet, instead of buying a like-for-like player on the wing, Monchi went in a completely different direction. Monchi brought in a player he claimed was as good or better than Malcom. That man of course was defensive midfielder Steven Nzonzi.

While Nzonzi may be a better player than Malcom based on resume; there was a problem. He wasn’t the better player for Roma and EDF’s system. This led to a disastrous season for the Frenchman, as he was one of the team’s poorest performers under the Italian’s leadership. Credit to him, he did pick up his game during Claudio Ranieri’s brief tenure. However, now with Paulo Fonseca’s free flowing football in the capital, Nzonzi again looks like a fish out of water.

With Nzonzi not fitting into Fonseca’s plans, Gianluca Petrachi has been shopping him all summer. And it looks like there’s finally a taker for the 30-year-old. While it looked like a transfer to France was the most likely scenario, that quickly changed this week. Nzonzi will no longer be crossing the Alps, instead he will be flying east, to Turkey.

According to multiple reports, Nzonzi has agreed to a transfer to Turkish side Galatasaray. The deal will be on an initial loan for €1 million, likely with an option to buy. Although, Corriere dello Sport reports Petrachi is pushing for an obligation. The Turkish side has agreed to take on all of Nzonzi salary of around €3 million for the loan spell. As it stands, the option to buy is said to be €15 million for next season. Not an ideal amount after Monchi invested €26.65 million to get Nzonzi from Sevilla just last summer. However, this is one of those divorces that will suit all parties after the way last season went down.