Marvelous Nakamba has a chance to ‘restart his career’ after leaving Premier League giants Aston Villa for Championship hopefuls Luton Town on deadline day, the Zimbabwe national team’s general manager tells News Day.
Nakamba might not have played a single minute of league football in the first half of 2022/23, but do not underestimate just how impressive a signing could be is for perennial overachievers Luton Town.
This, after all, is a player Aston Villa paid £11 million for not so long ago. A player with 26 international caps, and a Belgian league title on his CV. At the age of 29, Nakamba may still be yet to reach his peak too.
According to Wellington Mpandare, however, Nakamba stands to benefit as much from his deadline-day loan move as Luton themselves.
Marvelous Nakamba leaves Aston Villa for Luton Town
“It’s a very good move for Marve, which has my full blessing,” says the Zimbabwe chief. “Marve made a brilliant move in terms of his career development and, of course, for his personal life.
“This is a chance for him to restart his career. For some reason, things were not going well for him at Villa. So, this is a chance for him to get some game time, which is the most important thing for a footballer, and to market himself.
“His talents are undoubted. It’s just a matter of time before another team realises and (signs) him. He still has a lot to offer, and I’m sure he will do well.”
Luton are fourth in the Championship; former Watford boss Rob Edwards picking up where Nathan Jones left off with The Hatters.
Nakamba, who produced some of the best defensive numbers in the 2018/19 Champions League while at Club Brugge, should only strengthen a Luton side boasting one of the Championship’s best defensive records.
Nakamba will also reunite with Zimbabwe team-mate Admiral Muskwe at Kenilworth Road.
“It’s good for the national team,” Mpandare adds. “It gives them a chance to bond for the next six months. And, remember, Luton are not very far away in the Championship race.
“So, who knows, maybe he will help the team get promoted to the Premier League, and then it will be easy for them to make his loan move permanent.”
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