Aston Villa brought Mbwana Samatta to Villa Park in the January transfer window.
Aston Villa striker Mbwana Samatta has been tipped by Tanzania head coach Etienne Ndayiragije to become “the best” following his move to the Premier League outfit (Daily News).
Dean Smith’s side completed a £8.5million move for Samatta in the January transfer window, the 27-year-old penning a four-and-a-half-year deal at Villa Park (BBC Sport).
Samatta fired Belgian side Genk to the Jupiler League title in 2018-19 with 20 goals, while in all competitions he netted 32 and grabbed six assists (Transfermarkt) last term.
This season, he scored 10 goals for Genk including three in the Champions League, with Liverpool’s world-class defence also breached by the striker (Transfermarkt).
Samatta, the first Tanzanian to play in the Premier League, has already got off the mark for his new club, netting in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth at the start of February.
Ndayiragije is pleased to see how much progress the player has made over his career, and should continue making now he’s graduated to the Premier League.
“He has managed to get a good challenge which will make him the best because when you move from a low standard to the upper level, you definitely grow and become better due to new challenges you are exposed to,” Ndayiragije is quoted by Daily News as saying.
According to Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws, Samatta was also on the radar of Brighton, Norwich, Crystal Palace and Championship side West Bromwich Albion.
Up next for Villa is Sunday’s Premier League home game against Tottenham Hotspur.
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