Newcastle United are lining up a January move for Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba as per reports.
According to Football Insider, the Magpies are looking to shore up their problematic central midfield area and view Nakamba as the ideal fit.
Following their takeover by a Saudi-led consortium, Newcastle are the richest club in Europe and are set to begin their spending spree in January in order to beat the drop.
The Magpies are currently 19th in the Premier League, having failed to win a single game this season, and need reinforcements in multiple positions if they are to stay in the top flight.
Nakamba’s contract expires in 2024 and he will reportedly be available for around £15 million.
Would Marvelous Nakamba be a good addition to Newcastle United?
Nakamba arrived at Aston Villa from Club Brugge in 2019 after a few impressive campaigns in Belgium. However, the Zimbabwe international has failed to establish himself as a regular member of the first team.
He is an energetic and tenacious midfielder who likes to launch into tackles, win back possession for his side and drive them up the field quickly.
The Zimbabwe international is also versatile and can play as a deep-lying midfielder or in more advanced roles. However, he has failed to really find his feet in the Premier League which makes Newcastle’s interest in the Zimbabwean rather surprising.
Nakamba enjoyed a bright start to his career at Villa Park, making 29 appearances in the Premier League in his first season. However, he has since dropped behind the likes of John McGinn and Douglas Luiz in the pecking order and has made just one start in the league this season.
Newcastle’s current central midfield options consist of Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff and Nakamba is not a big upgrade on any of them.
The Magpies have an abundance of funds at their disposal and could use it on players much superior to the Zimbabwe international.
Newcastle United have been linked with the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Harry Winks, Luis Diaz and Conor Coady and should prioritise moves for them over Nakamba.
