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JUST two years ago, they were FIVE – a strong £50 million contingent of African stars at English Premiership club Aston Villa.
Which, probably was only fair because the biggest shareholder in the Birmingham club is an African businessman, Egyptian tycoon, Nassef Sawiris.
He has a 55 percent stake in the club, which he co-owns with his American partner, Wes Edens.
The African stars at Villa appeared to be representing all the five corners of the continent – North, East, South and West and had cost the club £49.25m to bring on board.
Two Egyptians – Ahmed Elmohamedy and Trezeguet – represented the North, Burkinabe midfielder Betrand Traore represented the West, Tanzanian forward Mbwana Samatta represented the East and Zimbabwe’s Marvelous Nakamba represented the South.
Elmohamedy was the first to arrive, for £1m, in July 2017 and was followed by his countryman, Trezeguet, for £8.75m, in July 2019.
Nakamba soon arrived, the following month, on a five-year £11m deal before Samatta arrived, in January 2020, for £9.5m.
Traore was the last to arrive, in September 2020, for £19m.
Now, of the Fab Five, only Nakamba remains at Villa.
Even though his future is yet to be resolved, after he drifted out of the squad in the first two league matches, he forced his way back into the Match Day squad, for the third game against Crystal Palace.
He did not feature in the match, which Villa lost 1-3, in what was a brutal reality check for manager Steve Gerrard, whose decision to overlook Nakamba, who served him well last season, has riled some of the club’s fans.
It’s a measure of how he has been fighting for his place, and stay, at Villa that Nakamba is, as of now, the LAST MAN STANDING, among the £50m African brigade.
This week, Traore completed a loan move to Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir, following the path taken by Trezeguet, when he also left Villa.
“As you know, there were many clubs that wanted me,” said Traore.
“There was a lot of time to think, but I wanted to come to Basaksehir. I talked to people who know the club well.
“It was a club I knew before. I knew the coach and I knew the players.”
And, the coach, Erdinc Sozer agreed.
“I know Traore from Lyon. We were rivals before. He can play in different positions – winger, second striker, centre-forward,” Sozer told the Turkish media.
“His wish is to play as a striker and we will evaluate him in those positions.”
Trezeguet has since left Basaksehir and joined another Turkish side, Trabzonspor.
Samatta spent just six months at Villa before being shipped, on loan, to Turkey and now he has retraced his footsteps to the Belgian club, KRC Genk, he left to become the first Tanzanian player to feature in the Premiership.
BirminghamLive, who cover Villa more than any other news media outlet, described Samatta as a “VILLA FLOP,” who has now “moved clubs for the third time since leaving Villa Park in 2020.”
Ashley Preece, the dedicated Villa reporter at BiminghamLive, reported:
“One-time Aston Villa striker Mbwana Samatta has rejoined KRC Genk – two-and-a-half years after leaving the Belgian club for Villa for £9.45million.
“The Tanzanian scored just twice in 16 appearances for Villa, including a sublime header in the Carabao Cup final against Man City, after being signed as a replacement for Wesley following the Brazilian’s devastating ACL injury in 2020.
“Samatta, 29, lasted just six months at Villa Park before being shipped out on loan to Fenerbahce following Ollie Watkins’ arrival in September 2020.
“Villa had an obligatory buy option included in Samatta’s loan deal which resulted in the Turkish club paying £5.4million for the centre-forward last year.
“Samatta, who still has two years remaining on his Fenerbahce contract (six goals in 33 games), was sent out on loan to Royal Antwerp last season.”
He has now rejoined Genk.
on a five-year £11m deal before Samatta arrived, in January 2020, for £9.5m.
Traore was the last to arrive, in September 2020, for £19m.
Now, of the Fab Five, only Nakamba remains at Villa.
Even though his future is yet to be resolved, after he drifted out of the squad in the first two league matches, he forced his way back into the Match Day squad, for the third game against Crystal Palace.
He did not feature in the match, which Villa lost 1-3, in what was a brutal reality check for manager Steve Gerrard, whose decision to overlook Nakamba, who served him well last season, has riled some of the club’s fans.
It’s a measure of how he has been fighting for his place, and stay, at Villa that Nakamba is, as of now, the LAST MAN STANDING, among the £50m African brigade.
This week, Traore completed a loan move to Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir, following the path taken by Trezeguet, when he also left Villa.
“As you know, there were many clubs that wanted me,” said Traore.
“There was a lot of time to think, but I wanted to come to Basaksehir. I talked to people who know the club well. “It was a club I knew before. I knew the coach and I knew the players.”
And, the coach, Erdinc Sozer agreed.
“I know Traore from Lyon. We were rivals before. He can play in different positions – winger, second striker, centre-forward,” Sozer told the Turkish media.
“His wish is to play as a striker and we will evaluate him in those positions.”
Trezeguet has since left Basaksehir and joined another Turkish side, Trabzonspor.
Samatta spent just six months at Villa before being shipped, on loan, to Turkey and now he has retraced his footsteps to the Belgian club, KRC Genk, he left to become the first Tanzanian player to feature in the Premiership.
BirminghamLive, who cover Villa more than any other news media outlet, described Samatta as a “VILLA FLOP,” who has now “moved clubs for the third time since leaving Villa Park in 2020.”
Ashley Preece, the dedicated Villa reporter at BiminghamLive, reported:
“One-time Aston Villa striker Mbwana Samatta has rejoined KRC Genk – two-and-a-half years after leaving the Belgian club for Villa for £9.45million.
“The Tanzanian scored just twice in 16 appearances for Villa, including a sublime header in the Carabao Cup final against Man City, after being signed as a replacement for Wesley following the Brazilian’s devastating ACL injury in 2020.
“Samatta, 29, lasted just six months at Villa Park before being shipped out on loan to Fenerbahce following Ollie Watkins’ arrival in September 2020.
“Villa had an obligatory buy option included in Samatta’s loan deal which resulted in the Turkish club paying £5.4million for the centre-forward last year.
“Samatta, who still has two years remaining on his Fenerbahce contract (six goals in 33 games), was sent out on loan to Royal Antwerp last season.”
He has now rejoined Genk.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter