The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN midfielder, Marvelous Nakamba has stayed put at English Premier League club Aston Villa despite speculation linking him with a loan exit to Turkey.
With the transfer having closed in England on Monday, Nakamba remained at Villa where he is now expected to fight for a place in the starting lineup. In his team’s three league matches so far, Nakamba has started on the bench with Brazilian Douglas Luiz chosen ahead of him in the central midfield role. In the last two matches, Nakamba has replaced Luiz with a few minutes to go.
On Sunday, Nakamba was introduced as an 80th minute substitute for Luiz as Villa hammered defending champions Liverpool 7-2. Nakamba even had a shot on target taken with his left foot, which was smothered by Liverpool’s second choice goalkeeper, Spaniard Adrian who had a terrible time in goal for the Reds in place of the injured first choice Alisson Becker
The Zimbabwean started and played 90 minutes in Villa’s three matches in the Carabao Cup where they were booted out in the fourth round of the competition after a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City at Villa Park last Thursday.
Nakamba joined Villa on a five year deal from Club Brugge of Belgium in August last year, with the Claret and Blue said to have paid £11m for the Warriors star.
While Aston Villa manager Dean Smith said Nakamba fits the criteria of the type of player they were looking for when he joined, the defensive midfielder has struggled to command a place in starting lineup. The arrival of England midfielder Ross Barkly on loan from Chelsea has made life even more difficult for Nakamba who has to work extra hard for a place in Villa’s midfield.
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