Gerrard hunts for Nakamba’s replacement

BIRMINGHAM. — Steven Gerrard has been given the green light to bring in a new midfielder at Aston Villa after Marvelous Nakamba’s injury blow.

Zimbabwe international midfielder Nakamba (27) was ruled out last week by new boss Gerrard for up to four months.

The star was forced off just before the hour mark in Villa’s defeat at Liverpool before missing last week’s 2-0 win at Nor­wich in the English Premiership football.

It is a huge blow for Gerrard after Nakamba started in his first five games in charge as Villa collected nine points.

The holding midfielder has a 63% tackle success rate in the English Premier League and has made 68 recoveries this term in 12 appearances.

Nakamba, signed from Club Brugge in August 2019 for £11 million, had been one of Villa’s key players under new boss Gerrard and progressed hugely.

He plays a vital role in Gerrard’s 4-3-3 system and was voted the club’s Player of the Month for November.

When Gerrard was appointed in November he vowed to spend time assessing his squad before formulating any transfer plans.

But he has already accepted Nakamba plays such an important role he must be replaced and has asked Villa’s sporting director Johan Lange to draw up a short-list of targets.

Gerrard, who quit Rangers to replace Dean Smith, will now turn to the finan­cial backing of billionaire Villa co-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.

Gerrard said: “The surgeon is really happy with his operation and how it’s gone and now he’ll start his recovery process and recovery plan.

“He’s going to be missing for somewhere in the region of 12 weeks if it is a fantastic rehab or it could be up to 16 weeks.

“It will be somewhere in the middle of 12-16 weeks.”

Former Villa defender Alan Hutton assessed: ” I think since the new manag­er’s come in he’s really taken his game to a new level.

“He’s really been working hard and he fits into the system and the plan that Steven Gerrard wants to play.

“With the three in midfield, you can get bodies round about him, he’s defen­sive-minded but he can always pass for­ward.

“So I think it is a huge blow. However, I just feel when someone gets injured it is an opportunity for somebody else.

“You look at the likes of Morgan Sanson and these guys who haven’t been getting minutes. They are desperate to play foot­ball.

“Can they impose themselves now? Can they get in that team and make the place theirs? There’s an opportunity for some­body to go and grasp.”

Aston Villa and Gerrard are fast approaching his first transfer window in charge.

And according to TEAMtalk, Gerrard has put former favourite Glen Kamara at the top of his list of priorities ahead of the January transfer window opening, and a deal is looking increasingly likely to occur.

Rangers have failed to make the Cham­pions League group stages and as a result are said to be considering a huge sale of their players, with Kamara having more than one admirer looking to acquire his services.

The versatile Finnish international recently signed a new contract at the club but this would likely not deter a club of Vil­la’s financial power from making a move. Gerrard is aware of the quality Kamara possesses and so are the club, having monitored the midfielder even prior to Gerrard’s arrival.

A move for Kamara may now be inevi­table after it was announced Nakamba will miss several months with a knee injury. Nakamba had thrived under Gerrard so far and in his absence, a large defensive hole will be left in the midfield.

The Villa boss also commented on potential arrivals where he stated: “In terms of the January window, there’s obvi­ously conversations at Villa. And there always will be behind the scenes identify­ing areas where we can improve.

“If the right person or bodies are there for us to bring in then we’ll certainly look to try and do that. But, obviously, there’s a lot of names being bandied about at the moment which we can’t control that are not true.” Kamara is valued at around £5.4 million on transfer market, how­ever given his contract runs out in 2025 it would likely take an offer higher than this to make Rangers part with a vital part of their squad. —The Mirror