WARRIORS vice-captain Marshall Munetsi is set to return to Ligue 1 just a year after departing Stade de Reims, with reports yesterday suggesting that his English Premiership side, Wolves, has agreed to a loan deal
with Paris FC until the end of the season.
The 29-year-old, who missed Zimbabwe’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament participation earlier this month under controversial circumstances, moved to Molineux for £16 million from Reims last February.
Since his arrival in the Midlands, Munetsi has made 31 appearances and netted four goals, with his last strike coming in October’s 3-2 defeat to Burnley.
The Mabvuku-born star was a vital cog in the Wolves engine room during the latter half of last season.
Under former coach Vitor Pereira, Munetsi started 12 matches, providing the physical presence needed to help the club avoid the drop and secure a 16th-place finish.
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However, his playing time has plummeted following the appointment of Rob Edwards as head coach.
Munetsi has managed just a single start under Edwards — a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in November, which marked the manager’s first game in charge.
Sources indicate that Edwards, who previously coached Munetsi’s compatriot Marvelous Nakamba at Luton, has opted to sanction the move as he believes the midfielder does not fit the tactical profile of his preferred system.
With Wolves currently languishing at the bottom of the Premier League table, the move is a strategic gamble.
By sending him to Paris FC, the club aims to protect his market value through regular playing time.
It seems they are also facilitating a summer sale as the club prepares for a likely financial restructure in the Championship.
While several Ligue 1 clubs were reportedly monitoring the situation, Paris FC appears to have won the race.
The Parisiens have been scouring the market for a physical box-to-box midfielder to bolster their ranks, and the Zimbabwean international fits the bill perfectly.
Notably, the deal is reported to be a straight loan with no option to buy.
The move comes on the heels of a frustrating month for the midfielder.
Munetsi was omitted from the Zimbabwe squad for the ongoing Afcon due to an injury — a decision that caused friction between the player and the national team set-up.
Munetsi reportedly pushed for inclusion, convinced the injury was minor enough to allow him to feature in the Warriors’ final two group matches.
Now, with a move to the French capital imminent, Munetsi will be looking to put the international disappointment behind him and rediscover the form that made him one of the standout performers in France just 12 months ago.