Nakamba omission from Aston Villa squad fuels reports of imminent exit

By Fortune Mbele | NewsDay |

Warriors midfielder Marvelous Nakamba was omitted from the squad when Aston Villa faced Liverpool on Boxing Day, fuelling speculation that he could leave during the January transfer window.

New Villa coach Unai Emery approaches his first window since he replaced Steve Gerrard.

Stories of Nakamba’s possible exit in January have refused to disappear, with Birmingham-based journalists suggesting that the midfielder was not in Emery’s plans.

Patrick Rowe of Birminghamlive writes that the former Club Brugge midfielder is among four players facing the chop when the summer transfer window opens in a few days.

Nakamba has struggled for game time since returning from injury and did not make the Villa squad that lost 3-1 to Liverpool when the English Premier League resumed after the World Cup break.

“Villa’s squad is bloated in the midfield department, with game-time for Marvelous Nakamba and Morgan Sanson looking unlikely, while Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara dominate the double pivot position Emery prefers,” BirminghamLive reports.

Nakamba’s progress at Aston Villa, curtailed by a knee injury and the coming in of Leander Dendoncker and Kamara, makes it even more difficult for the Warriors man to stay.

“The 28-year-old was a key figure in the early days of Steven Gerrard’s reign, but a knee injury stunted his progress in claret and blue. The Zimbabwean international is yet to stake a claim within the first team since that run of games in 2021, with the signings of Leander Dendoncker and Boubacar Kamara seemingly putting the writing on the wall for the fan favourite,” Rowe said.

He added: “Nakamba has been used sparingly across the mid-season friendlies by Emery, with the midfielder yet to feature for more than 10 minutes against Villarreal, Chelsea and Brighton, respectively. When playing at his best, Nakamba can be an asset to any team with his disruptive play ahead of the defence, talents which should be on display regularly as he approaches the end of his 20.”

The other three players that are reportedly listed for exit are Phillipe Coutinho, Cameron Archer and Sanson.

Nakamba has previously been linked with Newcastle, Everton and Crystal Palace in England.

There have been suggestions that he could move to Turkey.