Vusumuzi Dube
What is life if not the unstoppable march of time that is slowly guiding us towards the inevitable new season in the top European leagues.
The 2024/25 campaign in the Premier League will start already on August 16, and the other national competitions will follow suit soon after. Besides cheering for their favourite club, the fans in Zimbabwe will also keep a close eye on the best representatives of the national team.
This article will cover the three highest-valued Warriors as per Transfermarkt: Marshall Munetsi, Marvelous Nakamba and Jordan Zemura. The football predictions may not be too generous towards their club, that is true. But what is important for the fans is that the players get enough action in the best leagues in the world so that they can perform better when international duty calls.
Marshall Munetsi: Life Under New Coach
Valued at €10 million, Marshall Munetsi is definitely Zimbabwe’s biggest footballing star at the moment. The 28-year-old earned this title by being an undisputed starter at Stade de Reims in the Ligue 1 for the last couple of seasons.
In the 2024/25 campaign, Munetsi will start working under incoming coach Luka Elsner, which makes predicting what his season will entail a bit more difficult than usual.
However, from what is known about Elsner, he is rather cautious in his approach and prefers defensive solidity to attacking might. Munetsi, who is a monster without the ball with unrivalled stamina, seems perfect for the Slovenian coach.
Coming after a great season with eight goal contributions in 27 matches, Marshall is held in high regard at Reims and he will certainly be given his chance. As long as he stays injury-free, the midfielder should be expected to continue as a regular starter at Stade Auguste-Delaune for the upcoming term. And maybe he’ll get a couple of goals and assists in Ligue 1 too!
Marvelous Nakamba: Wishing Him a Quick Recovery
The situation looks grimmer for Marvelous Nakamba who went out with a knee injury in December 2023 and has not played since. The exact terms of his recovery remain unknown, but the 30-year-old defensive midfielder should hopefully return to the field for Luton Town in the first months of the 2024/25 season.
Nakamba was an undisputed starter for the Hatters in the Premier League last term, making 14 appearances before the injury. There is no doubt that Rob Edwards is waiting for Marvelous to be back in training, but the player’s future prospect will largely depend on his condition after the surgery.
Somewhat positive news is that Ross Barkley left the club and there will be less competition in midfield. Besides, Luton are back to playing in the Championship, and the less-intensive second-tier football will allow Nakamba to get back in the rhythm more easily.
Marvelous never had the eye for the goal, but he is a tireless runner and a reliable option in the middle of the park. The best-case scenario is Nakamba regaining his starter role and completing the campaign with Luton without further injuries.
Jordan Zemura: Life After Near-Elimination
Jordan Zemura and Udinese were in the Serie A relegation zone three matches before the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Thankfully, the team got two wins and one draw in the final weeks to secure a 15th-place finish.
Just like Udinese as a whole, the previous season was decent-at-best for Zemura. The 24-year-old made 29 appearances for Udinese and recorded one goal and one assist. The England-born Zimbabwean was utilised at left-back and left wingback but was more of a rotational option, starting just 11 matches the whole campaign.
Zemura will have the task of impressing new manager Kosta Runjaic, and perhaps will get more opportunities in the first months when relegation is not yet a threat. However, considering that Jordan will be competing against the same player as last year, a measured prediction would be a rotational role but with regular appearances towards the end of the match.
Online Reporter