Where ex-Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers star Steven Nzonzi is playing now may surprise you | OneFootball

N'Zonzi was once an integral part of Stoke's Premier League days

Stoke City are notoriously remembered for their ten-year spell in the Premier League between 2008 and 2018.

Regardless of the stereotyped 'Cold Tuesday nights in Stoke', the Potters were able to attract several high-profile players under managers such as Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes, before falling back into the Championship six years ago under Paul Lambert.

The likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Marko Arnautovic and Bojan highlighted the continental flair which was once brought to the Bet365 Stadium under Hughes after Pulis' initial team of workhorses saw the club reach the FA Cup Final in 2011, and subsequently a stint in the UEFA Europa League.

Whilst several players are remembered fondly by supporters for their fair share of great moments in red and white, some of these names are still featuring for clubs in quite obscure leagues and countries.

And, with that being said, it will definitely surprise a number of Stoke supporters when it comes to former midfielder Steven Nzonzi and his current employers.

Steven Nzonzi's Stoke City career

The French midfielder was no stranger to City supporters by the time of his arrival in the summer of 2012, joining from Blackburn Rovers for a £5m fee after the East Lancashire side were relegated to the Championship.

During his first season with the Reds, Nzonzi wasted no time in showcasing his ability and availability, featuring in 35 top flight outings whilst putting in an array of solid performances and a solitary goal at the base of Pulis' midfield, which led to claims from the Stoke boss that he had the potential to play for one of the top clubs in the country.

The Paris native then built on a strong start to his Stoke career under new boss Mark Hughes, only missing two Premier League games in 2013/14, with his most impressive performance coming in a 2-0 home victory against Sunderland, where he scored and laid on an assist for Charlie Adam.

However, the midfielder would see a transfer request rejected for the second successive summer, despite hinting in interviews that he was content with the club's progression after the first of three straight ninth-place finishes.

In his final season with Stoke, the Frenchman continued to put his name in light with three goals and one assist throughout an ever-present league campaign, which saw him scoop the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards, with Hughes stating just how impressed he'd been by Nzonzi's overall contributions.

"I never really realised how talented he was. He has played a massive role in our success last season, and this season too, and is a thoroughly deserving winner of this hugely sought-after award," the Welsh boss said.

Nzonzi would round off an extremely successful three-year stint with the North Staffordshire outfit with a goal in the memorable 6-1 victory over Liverpool on the final day of the 2014/15 campaign, before moving to Sevilla for a then club-record £7m fee.

“I always want to play better and last season was definitely my best. Now I need to test myself in the Champions League and unfortunately I can’t do that with Stoke," he told the Stoke Sentinel after his departure.

Steven Nzonzi's post-Stoke City career

Despite being sent off on his La Liga debut against Las Palmas for 'Los Nervionenses', Nzonzi made a strong impression throughout his first season with the Spanish giants, featuring in 46 games across all competitions and scoring four times in a season which saw Unai Emery's side defeat Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League final.

The box-to-box midfielder's rich vein of form continued under Jorge Sampaoli the following season as Sevilla came fourth in La Liga, as well as reaching the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, with Nzonzi netting his only career goal in the elite competition in a 4-0 rout against Dinamo Zagreb.

He would then eventually earn the international recognition he had deeply craved, earning a first call-up to the French national side in November 2017 - making his debut against Wales in a 2-0 victory, before another strong campaign for Sevilla saw him make the cut for Didier Deschamps World Cup squad in Russia.

Nzonzi's performances for 'Les Bleus' may have gone under the radar, but five appearances in seven outings, including a 35-minute cameo in the final against Croatia, showed how valued he was within the international setup as France became champions of the world for the second time.

He would then make a €26.65 switch to Italian giants AS Roma, but his spell at the Stadio Olimpico was far from ideal despite signing a four-year contract, with all 39 of his appearances coming in the 2018/19 season before underwhelming loan spells with Galatasaray and Stade Rennais followed in 2019/20.

Nzonzi would then move to the Qatari-based Al-Rayyan on a two-year deal in 2021, where he would feature 53 times and score seven times - six of which came in his first season with the club, before moving to Konyaspor ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Despite being a regular fixture for the Süper Lig side and ending the season in strong form with two goals in the final three games, the Frenchman saw his contract terminated, and he now plies his trade for Iranian Pro League side, Sepahan.

After the first 12 games of the season, Nzonzi's current employers find themselves second in the table, one point behind league leaders, Tractor S.C.

Since his move to the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium, the 36-year-old has started in four of his eight appearances, scoring once thus far against F.C. Nassaji Mazandaran in a 1-1 draw on November 9th.

Given the potential he showcased with the Potters, supporters will not be surprised that their former midfielder is still playing, although the standard of the division he now features in may come as a big surprise.