'Nakamba to stay at Villa'

ZIMBABWE international midfielder Marvelous Nakamba has been backed to snub a move to Turkish side Galatasary and stay at English Premiership side Aston Villa despite his lack of game time since the start of the current season.

Nakamba's future in England has once again been the subject of speculation with Galatasary last week reported to have renewed their interest in the player ahead of the January transfer window period.

Turkish publication Dirilis Postasi last week reported that Galatasary were keen on a move for Nakamba during the previous transfer window, but were prohibited from making a move because they could not shift some of their players.

With the European winter transfer window opening in just a matter of weeks, there have been suggestions that Villa would be willing to entertain offers for the 26-year-old Zimbabwean, who is yet to make a start in the Premier League campaign this term.

However, despite the limited opportunities Nakamba is set to continue to fight for a place in the starting lineup and snub offers away from the club, including one from Galatasary who are willing to sign him on a six-month loan seal.

That's the view of Ashley Preece, the journalist who covers Aston Villa for the Birmingham Mail, and is considered an expert on the Birmingham club.

Preece is the same journalist, who ranked Nakamba as one of the club's standout players last season before the league was halted by the Covid-19 outbreak.

He said Villa's lack of options in central midfield mean they will unlikely sanction a move for Nakamba to leave the club.

"Marvelous Nakamba is another player who's rarely featured. "Villa aren't, though, blessed with too many options in central midfield with the Zimbabwean set to stick around until the summer at the earliest," Preece said.

Nakamba signed for Villa in August last year from Belgian side Club Brugge for a reported £10 million fee.

He began last season as a firstchoice midfielder, making seven starts, but would be limited to just 12 outings from the beginning of matches after he was dropped following a 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Following the arrival of Ross Barkley on loan from Chelsea, the return to fitness of John McGinn and improved performances from Brazilian Douglas Luiz, Nakamba has been limited to just 13 Premier League minutes this season.

Both outings came when Villa were 3-0 up at Fulham and leading 7-2 against Liverpool earlier this season.

He has played 90 minutes of all three League Cup games while he has been named on the bench for every Premier League match this season.

Nakamba will find it hard to get more league minutes this season, with Conor Hourihane ahead of him in the pecking order coming off the bench.

Hourihane replaced Barkley at West Ham United on Monday night with the England international missing out through a hamstring injury.