The Sunday News
Zimbabwe international footballer Marshall Munetsi could be in line for an R137 million move to the English Premier League three years after leaving South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.
Munetsi – who turned 26 on Wednesday – has spent the past three years impressing at French Ligue One club Stade Reims where he has stood up against global superstars Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
In the just-ended season, he scored five goals playing as a central defender and holding midfielder igniting interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray in what would have been a transfer worth R60 million.
English Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion have now made enquiries about taking Munetsi to the south coast of England.
The Seagulls need a replacement for Malian international Yves Bissouma who has joined Tottenham Hotspur and according to English publication The Daily Mail they have asked about Munetsi.
The Zimbabwean midfielder’s statistics – worked on key duties of a defensive midfielder – rank him above Real Madrid’s new signing Aurelien Tchouameni who moved from Monaco and Aston Villa’s Boubacar Kamara who joined from Marseille.
Reims will be keen to sell for seven million pounds (approximately R137 million).
Last month Munetsi signed a new contract with Reims which will run up to 2026.
Munetsi arrived in South Africa as a teenager in 2015 having never played professional football back home signing for NFD club FC Cape Town before being snapped by Pirates the following year who then loaned him to Baroka for a season.
He returned to Pirates and spent two years battling his way to 37 appearances before leaving for France.- www.kickoff.com
