Mbwana Samatta will bid farewell to Aston Villa before the end of the week with the striker on his way to Turkish giants Fenerbahce, according to the Express and Star.
At least he’ll always have Wembley.
Just weeks after he moved to Villa Park in an £8.5 million January deal, Samatta was powering a bullet header into Manchester City’s net in the League Cup final.
However, with the benefit of hindsight that goal summed up Samatta’s Villa career – a promising start followed by disappointment.
The Tanzania international failed to score in any of his 11 games after that eventual 2-1 defeat at Wembley and, after being left out of the matchday squad for Monday’s Premier League opener against Sheffield United, Samatta is leaving not as a cult hero but as the latest in a long line of underperforming strikers.
Reports from the Midlands claim Samatta will join Fenerbahce on an initial loan deal, with his transfer expected to be completed before Sunday.
The 27-year-old has fallen behind record signing Ollie Watkins in Dean Smith’s pecking order, while the manager is also a fan of Keinan Davies. Wesley Moraes should return from injury before the Christmas period too.
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