Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ASTON Villa manager Steven Gerrard seems to have hammered home the last nail on Marvelous Nakamba’s career at the Villains after confirming he had put the Zimbabwean international midfielder on the transfer list.
The English Premier League transfer window closed when the clock struck midnight on Thursday with Nakamba linked with a move away from Villa.
No move materialised for Nakamba despite links to various premier league and Turkey sides.
An interview published by Birmingham Live revealed that Nakamba is not in the coach’s plans for this term.
Nakamba is not alone in that situation as he is joined by Morgan Sanson and Fredrick Guilbert.
Gerrard said: “They are contracted here to Aston Villa and I’ll certainly get a feel of all those players of where they are at with their thinking, with what they tell me and the feedback I get and we’ll go from there.
“There are obviously a few players who I assume would have liked, or had the opportunity to go elsewhere, like Morgan Sanson, or Nakamba for example. It is important I have a chat with all these players face-to-face. But they are very much human beings with feelings.
“You have to understand everyone’s situation. That is the issue the window brings for a lot of managers and a lot of clubs, when it is five or six games into a season.
“This is the reason I think collectively managers would like it to finish before the first game of the season because it can affect how people feel at different times.”
The midfielder has fallen out of favour with Gerrard who has so far preferred new acquisition Boubacar Kamara who signed for Villa as a free agent this summer.
The 28-year-old Nakamba, is yet to play this season and has only been named on the bench in two games.
He was not in the match day squad for Villa when they drew with Manchester City on Saturday.
Once again, Nakamba’s few appearances for Villa have been met with mixed feelings, with some feeling the Zimbabwe international’s type of play is too defensive, while others argue that he is perfect in protecting the defence as opposed to attacking and dictating play.
The reason behind Nakamba falling down the perking appears to be Gerrard’s need for an offensive player in his central midfield. Kamara suits the role as he is a box-to-box midfielder who is good both in attack and tracking back.
Things could get worse for the Zimbabwean midfielder after developments at the club on the transfer deadline day. Villa retained central midfielder Douglas Luiz despite a late bid from Arsenal and also signed another defensive midfielder, Leander Dendoncker from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a permanent deal worth around £13million.
The results for Villa could be a window of opportunity for Nakamba. In the absence of Nakamba, Villa have struggled and managed a single win in five league outings.
Despite limited game time, football writer Jake Bayliss says Nakamba remains a fan favourite.
“The holding midfielder has become something of a fan-favourite since signing for the club on Villa’s return to the top-flight in 2019. Nakamba played a key role in Gerrard’s first few games as boss before suffering a knee injury in December that saw him sidelined until the final weeks of last season,” Bayliss notes.
Meanwhile, a number of Zimbabwean players made moves in and to Europe. The biggest move in the window has to be that of Dynamos midfielder Bill Antonio who completed a move to Belgium. The 19-year-old completed a dream-come-true move to Belgian top-flight side KV Mechelen on deadline day.
Striker Macauley Bonne saw his deadline day loan transfer to Charlton Athletic fall through on deadline day.
The QPR striker was set to complete his move but there was a last minute turn from Charlton Athletic.
The 26-year-old had even passed his medical.
Admiral Muskwe joined English third tier side Fleetwood Town from Luton Town on a season loan.
The move also happened on deadline day.
Another forward, Tino Kadewere made history by becoming the first Zimbabwean to ply his trade in the Spanish top-flight league after joining Real Mallorca on loan with an option to buy from Olympique Lyon. – @innocentskizoe
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