Aston Villa and Newcastle United are reportedly competing to bring Club Brugge midfielder Marvelous Nakamba to the Premier League.
Reported Aston Villa and Newcastle United target Marvelous Nakamba has failed to turn up at training for Club Brugge on Monday as he looks to force a move away from the Belgian giants, according to Het Laaste Nieuws.
The Chronicle reported last month that both Villa and Newcastle were keen to sign a Zimbabwe international who is valued at £20 million.
Dean Smith’s newly-promoted side have already signed one Club Brugge player this summer in Brazilian striker Wesley Moraes and Nakamba, a tenacious ball-winning midfielder who loves a tackle, could fill a gap in front of Villa’s defence.
Newcastle, meanwhile, potentially see the former Vitesse Arnhem enforcer as a replacement for Isaac Hayden, who has made no secret of his desire to move back down south for family reasons.
According to HLN, Nakamba was expected to be present at training on Monday after returning from the African Cup of Nations but he was nowhere to be seen. The report adds that Nakamba was advised by his agents to stay away from Brugge’s training ground in order to force them to sell.
He is available ‘for the right price’, however. Aston Villa have apparently made a bid but, according to HLN, it was not deemed sufficient by the Blau-Zwarts.
Clearly, Nakamba wants to leave the rather small pond that is Belgian football but the decision makers at Villa and Newcastle are unlikely to be too impressed by the way he is trying to secure a move away.
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