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Zimpapers Sports Hub
TAWANDA Maswanhise’s rapid rise in Scottish football has continued after the Zimbabwe international was shortlisted for the Scottish Premiership’s G4 Claims Player of the Month award for January, following a prolific spell with Motherwell.
The 26-year-old forward, who has emerged as one of the league’s standout performers this season, is nominated alongside his Motherwell teammates Elijah Just, Lukas Fadinger and captain Paul McGinn, underlining a dominant month for the Fir Park side.
Motherwell won four of their five league matches in January and recorded four clean sheets.
Maswanhise’s contribution was decisive. He scored in every league game during the month, netting six goals in five appearances, a run that has taken him to the top of the Premiership scoring charts with 13 goals overall. His consistency in front of goal has made him a central figure in Motherwell’s campaign and one of the most talked-about players in the division.
In a statement released by the club, Motherwell highlighted the collective impact of the nominees. “Tawanda Maswanhise, Elijah Just, Lukas Fadinger and Paul McGinn are all up for nomination in a month where the Steelmen won four out of five and kept four clean sheets,” it read.
“Maswanhise makes a serious claim for your vote, scoring in every game six goals from five games.”
The striker had previously been nominated for the same award in November, while teammate Elliot Watt claimed the December accolade, reinforcing Motherwell’s strong form across the winter period.
Maswanhise’s performances have not gone unnoticed beyond Scotland.
The forward, who was one of Zimbabwe’s standout discoveries at the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, is reportedly attracting interest from clubs including Blackburn Rovers and Belgian giants Anderlecht. At Afcon in Morocco, he scored and assisted in his only start as Zimbabwe exited the group stage following a 3-2 defeat by South Africa.
Born in Zimbabwe and raised in England, Maswanhise is a product of Leicester City’s youth academy. He progressed steadily through the club’s ranks, making seven appearances at under-18 level before establishing himself in Premier League 2, where he scored 22 goals in 61 matches. His development earned him a senior debut under Enzo Maresca, coming off the bench in an FA Cup victory over Millwall, and he was also named in the matchday squad for a Premier League fixture at Old Trafford.
After leaving Leicester, Maswanhise joined Motherwell on a short-term deal in August 2024, initially signed until January. His impact was immediate. He finished his first season as joint top scorer with six goals, memorably heading home a dramatic late winner against Dundee in May 2025 that secured Motherwell’s Premiership status.
That form earned him a contract extension to June 2026, followed by a further deal keeping him at the club until the summer of 2027, with an option for an additional year. In his second season, Maswanhise began in blistering fashion, scoring four goals in four group-stage matches of the Premier Sports Cup before carrying that momentum into the league.
Capable of operating either centrally or from wide areas, Maswanhise combines pace, flair and clinical finishing, qualities that have made him a firm favourite with supporters.
Online Reporter