Nakamba on Newcastle radar Marvelous Nakamba

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS and Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is reportedly on the radar of cash flush English Premier League (EPL) club Newcastle United.

Newcastle are struggling and rooted second from last on the 20-team EPL with four points from nine matches.

Despite their present struggles, Newcastle became the richest club in the EPL about three weeks ago after a Saudi Arabia-led consortium completed a takeover of the club in a deal worth £300 million.

The consortium involves Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) taking an 80 percent controlling stake in the club.

The PIF is worth £700 billion, which gives Newcastle an unrivalled buying power when they go into the market for players.

Before the advent of the Saudis, Manchester City were the richest club in England and their owners are worth about £23 billion.

The new Newcastle owners are worth about 22 times more than the City owners and their financial muscle can easily lure any player they want in the world.

According to Football Insider, the Magpies, as Newcastle are known, have offered £15 million for Nakamba to join and become a part of the revolution of the club in the January transfer window.

A Newcastle source told Football Insider that the new moneybags team’s priority is to strengthen their central midfield while waiting to go on a buying spree at the end of the season in May when most clubs would be willing to sell their top players.

Most clubs in Europe are reluctant to release players in the mid-season transfer as they would be fighting for silverware or to secure a place in the lucrative Uefa Champions League.

Newcastle admire Nakamba’s energy and drive and believe he will help protect their defence, which has been porous in the last nine matches.

Nakamba joined Aston Villa from Belgian side Club Brugge for a fee of £11 million and penned a deal to keep him at Villa Park until 2024.

However, Nakamba has struggled to command a regular starting place at the club, with coach Dean Smith preferring David Luiz and John McGinn.

Nakamba who joined Aston Villa in August 2019, has featured only 57 times for the club and seven of those appearances are for this season.

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