Opinion: £11m man should've joined Fulham as Aston Villa target 'fantastic' ace
27/09/2022 08:00
Six weeks ago, The Athletic provided a list a six players Aston Villa were hoping to move on during the final month of the Premier League’s transfer window. In the end, only half of that unfortunate sextet managed to break free of their shackles; Keinan Davis joining Watford on loan, Anwar El Ghazi returning to the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven while Bertrand Traore became the latest English football misfit boarding a plane to Turkey.
That leaves Frederic Guilbert, Morgan Sanson and Marvelous Nakamba stuck at Villa Park until January at the earliest. Now, of the trio, you’d presume that Nakamba is the most likely recipient of a second chance under Steven Gerrard.
The former Rangers boss described the Zimbabwe international as an ‘outstanding’ talent nearly 12 months ago, after all. Nakamba played arguably the finest football of his Premier League career under Gerrard too. Before, of course, his campaign was brought to a premature conclusion by the most ill-timed of injury blows.
And, with Boubakar Kamara facing two months out with a knee ligament problem – thus seemingly bringing an end to his World Cup hopes – Nakamba could be ripe for a return. Even if Douglas Luiz seems more likely to slot into Kamara’s number six spot for the time being.
Marvelous Nakamba facing uncertain future at Aston Villa
Then again, reports suggesting that Aston Villa are stepping up their interest in another Kamara – Glen, this time – means Nakamba appears to face a race against time as he looks to salvage his claret-and-blue career. TEAMtalk say that interest from Villa in Finland international Kamara – one of Gerrard’s most trusted lieutenants at Ibrox – is ‘growing’ ahead of the January window.
“Glen has been fantastic for me since day one,” the Liverpool legend said of Kamara. “And he has grown, evolved and developed into a better player.”
The former Arsenal youngster is reportedly available for a bargain fee of just £10 million. Now, when discussing Kamara, Boubakar and Kamara, Glen, the similarities stop at their surnames. The latter is more comfortable as a number eight than a dedicated number six. He relishes providing a link between defence and attack with his composed and intelligent passing. Boubakar, and Nakamba for that matter, are more about ball-winning than ball-playing.
Who will replace Boubakar Kamara at Villa Park?
But if Villa really do intend to add another body to an already stacked midfield, then Nakamba will start to feel even more like an outsider. Especially with both Luiz and Leander Dendoncker capable of stepping into Boubakar’s shoes. Furthermore, the winter World Cup means Kamara won’t miss as many games as he would’ve in a ‘normal’ season.
Of course, the former Club Brugge enforcer can still change Gerrard’s mind. There are ten league games remaining between now and the turn of the year. But the phrase ‘fighting a losing battle’ comes to mind.
According to reports, both Nottingham Forest and Fulham made ‘lucrative’ offers for Nakamba in the dying moments of the summer window. It’s difficult to make a case that Nakamba is better off having stayed put, even if Boubakar Kamara’s potential eight-week absence does create a minor crack in the window of opportunity.
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