Aston Villa have confirmed their 12th signing of the 2019 summer transfer window as Marvelous Nakamba has joined the Lions for a reported fee of £11 million.
In the process, Nakamba has become the second player from Club Brugge to sign for the Villans after striker Wesley Moraes. Nakamba played two seasons for Club Brugge after signing for them from Vitesse in 2017.
The Zimbabwe international was a key player in Club Brugge’s 2017-18 league title win, but the 2018-19 season wasn’t a good one for him as he suffered quite a few injuries.
Villa will have a new-look side for the opening Premier League game against Tottenham, and Nakamba could prove to be a very important player for the side.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of signing Nakamba:
Pros
Nakamba has an incredible work-rate and energy to tackle, intercept, and move from box-to-box.
The 25-year old can play as a deep-lying midfielder, providing cover to his attacking teammates, or play as a box-to-box player. This versatility will be of great use to Aston Villa manager Dean Smith.
The Zimbabwe star is a good tackler of the ball, and has the energy and stamina to close opposition attackers while also providing the impetus to his team’s attack.
Nakamba is very good at intercepting the ball and moving it quickly to his teammates.
The 5’10” midfielder is a strong presence in midfield who can rattle opposition midfielders with his strength and physique, which will be a great asset for a team like Villa, who may be under the cosh against bigger sides in the Premier League and will need his physical presence and energy in midfield.
Cons
While Nakamba is physically strong and ready for a league like the Premier League, it remains to be seen if he is mentally strong enough to play in front of big crowds in a competitive league.
The Belgian league isn’t anywhere as competitive as the Premier League, which could be an issue for Nakamba as it may take him a while to get used to the league.
It also remains to be seen if Nakamba can remain fit for the entire season, after having suffered a few injuries last season while playing for Club Brugge.
