WARRIORS midfield kingpin Marvelous Nakamba’s big money move from Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem to 14-time Belgian champions Club Brugge last week effectively made him the second most expensive Zimbabwean footballer of all time.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Club Brugge who lost their league title to arch rivals Anderlecht in the just-ended season did not hesitate to break the bank as they paid around €3 million ($3,35m) for the sought-after midfielder to bolster the squad for next season.
Nakamba saw his market value rise significantly as he played all but three of Vitesse’s league matches last season on their way to a fifth place finish in the Dutch Eredivisie.
However, Nakamba’s price tag is still below what English side paid Portsmouth and former champions Manchester City paid for former Warriors striker Benjani Mwaruwari.
Portsmouth — after Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger’s recommendation to Harry Redknapp — signed “The Undertaker” from Auxerre for £4,1 million in January 2006, equivalent to €4,7 million euros and $5,2 million.
Manchester City reportedly made an initial down payment of £3,87 million to Portsmouth for the striker two years later in a deal valued at £7,6 million (€8,6 million).
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Further payments were to be made based on appearances and in the end the Manchester City club paid around €7 million (about £6,1 million) for the player.
Mwaruwari remains the most expensive Zimbabwean to play in Europe’s big leagues but many are tipping Nakamba who is only 23 and has stirred the interest of European giants such as Inter Milan and Everton to eclipse the former striker in the near future.
Interestingly, Zimbabwe legend Peter Ndlovu still ranks up there among most expensive players despite having played his best football in the 1990s when prices for footballers were significantly low.
Birmingham City prised Ndlovu out of Coventry City for £1,6 million (€2,25 million) back in 1997 which makes him the third most expensive native footballer.
The current Zimbabwe captain Knowledge Musona sits fourth after he cost TSG Hoffenheim €1, 50 million to bring him to the Bundesliga from South African giants Kaizer Chiefs in 2011.
His subsequent move to KV Oostende in December 2014 was however for an undisclosed fee.
Top five most expensive Zimbabwean footballers
1. Benjani Mwaruwari
- Jan 2006 AJ Auxerre (France) to Portsmouth FC (England) €6 million
- Jan 2008 Portsmouth FC (England) to Manchester City (England) €5,20 million
2. Marvelous Nakamba
- Jul 2017 Vitesse Arnhem (Netherlands) to Club Brugge (Belgium) €3 million
3. Peter Ndlovu
- Jul 1997 Coventry City (England) to Birmingham City (England) €2,25 million
4. Knowledge Musona
- Jul 2011 Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) to TSG Hoffenheim (Germany) €1,50 million
- Dec 2014 HSG Hoffeinheim to KV Oostende (Belgium) undisclosed fee
5. Khama Billiat
- Aug 2013 Ajax Cape Town (South Africa) to Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa) €690 000