Why Aston Villa should keep hold of Marvelous Nakamba amidst interest from Turkey
According to newspaper Sabah, via Sport Witness (h/t Birmingham Mail), Aston Villa’s Marvelous Nakamba has been targeted by Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Nakamba is the third Villa player to attract interest from Turkey, with the other two being centre-forward Mbwana Samatta and winger Trezeguet. 26-year-old Nakamba just arrived from Belgian side Club Brugge last summer and this is his maiden season for Dean Smith’s side.
He was one of the 12 new players brought in by Villa following their promotion to the top-flight. However, with the Zimbabwean attracting interests from Turkey, it remains to be seen what the future holds for him.
Despite it being his first season with Villa, the defensive midfielder has nailed down his spot as a regular, making 26 appearances across all competitions. He was also a part of Villa’s last two games before the season got halted due to the coronavirus outbreak.
He was a part of five of Villa’s overall seven league wins, making him one of the first names in the team sheet.
Before his arrival in England, Nakamba was an integral part of the Brugge side that won the Belgian top division in the 2017-18 season and second place in the following campaign. A consistent player, Nakamba played a total of 67 matches for the Belgian outfit over two seasons, earning himself a move to Villa Park following the latter’s promotion.
However, things have not gone according to plan for his new side, with Villa facing an almost certain relegation back into the Championships. They are now just one spot ahead of bottom side Norwich City.
With Aston Villa facing one of its worst phases at the moment, it would be foolish to let go of a player of Nakamba’s mould. Despite his side’s poor display, Nakamba has been a consistent performer and has proved this season and in the past that he is a definite first-team player, be it in any side.
Moreover, he is the only defensive-minded midfielder in the Villa side that has as many as seven midfielders in its ranks. However, what makes him special is his ability to adapt to a more central role as per the team’s requirements. Thus, Villa should be very careful with Nakamba’s situation and make him stay at the club rather than let him go so soon.
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Verdict
There is no doubt Aston Villa lack an established defensive midfielder in their ranks and letting him leave at such a crucial juncture seems like a foolish thing to do. Moreover, he just arrived last season and could play a vital role in helping Smith rebuild a stronger side for the future.
