Sam Allardyce Tried To Lure Steven Nzonzi To Play For England

​England have been rebuked  in their attempt to lure Steven Nzonzi.

The French midfielder, 27, played for Sam Allardyce at Blackburn and is now at Europa League winners Sevilla. 

Nzonzi never won a full cap for France and Allardyce was interested in following up an approach from the player’s father to see if he was eligible for England.

However, FIFA ruled he wasn’t, as he’d represented France Under 21s before he would have been eligible for England through residency.

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New England Boss, Sam Allardyce :

 ‘We did have a call, it would have been of interest to me and we did explore it. He’s very good and never got the credit he deserves because of his size. 

‘Being too big can be a hindrance to a footballer because they think their feet are not as clever and they’re not as mobile or sharp.

‘This lad won player of the year at Blackburn in his very first year.

‘I’m not surprised he went to Sevilla in the end, a club of that level and that size, that’s not being disrespectful to Blackburn or Stoke.

‘But [playing for England] was impossible. The issue is dead now.’