daniel chigunwe
Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN midfielder Marshall Munetsi was among the early birds yesterday as his French side Stade de Reims got their pre-season training underway in preparation for the 2022/2023 campaign.
Munetsi, who has been linked with a move to English Premiership after Brighton and Hove reportedly developed interests, flew back to his base last week after spending the off-season holiday in Zimbabwe.
He was part of the Reims players that conducted medical tests last week before their first field training at the Raymond Kopa Life Center yesterday. Reims finished 12th last season and Munetsi was impressive in his defensive duties. He also contributed four goals in 22 outings.
He was one of the top performers for his position in the entire French top-flight league, along with Aurelien Tshouameni, who has since signed for UEFA Champions League kings Real Madrid from Monaco.
Munetsi’s statistics also compare favourably well with former Marseille star Boubacar Camara who will be Marvellous Nakamba’s Aston Villa teammate next season.
Reims are understood to be willing to let go of the Zimbabwean midfielder, who celebrated his 26th birthday last week, for something in the region of £7 million.
His chances of joining the EPL side have been widened further by the fact that the Seagulls are looking to fill the space left by the departure of their midfield mainstay Yves Bissouma.
The latter is now with London side Tottenham Hotspurs. And it is Munetsi who has emerged as the front runner to fill that gap.
With reports about Brighton and Hove circling over the midfielder still to die down, the coming month will be key for the Zimbabwean. Reims have an intensive pre-season and are set to play at least six pre-season friendly matches before they begin their French Ligue 1 campaign against Marseille on August 7.
Compatriot Tino Kadewere is also expected back in France to join his teammates at Olympique Lyon for the pre-season.
Kadewere had a poor outing last season and there has been growing speculation about his future. The forward spent his off-season cooling off with his family on holiday in Dubai.
As part of their pre-season preparations, Lyon will travel to Brussels on July 16 to face Belgian club Anderlecht. Two friendly matches will be organised on the same day, as Peter Bosz’s squad will be enlarged for the occasion.
Defender Jordan Zemura and his Bournemouth teammates were back at the weekend in preparation for their return to the English Premiership.
The 22-year-old Zemura is expected to make his bow in the EPL after he played a key part in the team’s qualification last season.
Aston Villa’s Marvelous Nakamba is also expected to return to England after spending most of the off-season break doing charity work in Zimbabwe and organising the Under-17 Invitational Tournament that took place in Bulawayo at the weekend.
Online Reporter