The 2024-25 season begins this month, and Zambian players will aim to improve their stats in some of Europe’s top five leagues.
Only three Zambians will compete in two of the five leagues: the English Premier League and the Italian Serie.
Kingstone Mutandwa (Cagliari Calcio )
Mutandwa made history last season by becoming just the second Zambian player to score a goal in the Italian Serie A. The striker gave Cagliari a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute, just seven minutes after coming off the bench against Fiorentina.
The 21-year-old became the 10th Zambian player in history to score a goal in Europe’s top five leagues.
Following his impressive debut, Cagliari extended his contract until June 30, 2027. He will look to continue impressing and securing a spot in the club’s starting lineup for the upcoming season.
Cagliria will kick off their campaign against Roma on August 18, 2024.
READ ALSO: List of Zambian players to score in Europe’s top five leagues
Lameck Banda (US Leece)
Banda became the first Zambian to compete and score in the Italian Serie A. He accomplished the feat in November 2022, when Lecce defeated Sampdoria 2-0, and became the first man from his country to score in Serie A.
Last season he appeared in 21 Serie A games, scoring two goals and assisting four times. However, his campaign was cut short due to injury, as he had to undergo knee surgery, which kept him out for three months.
In 57 games, the 23-year-old has four goals and five assists in the Italian top flight since joining Lecce. He will be in his third season of Serie A with the club, who will face Europa League champions Atalanta on August 19, 2024.
Patson Daka (Leicester City)
Despite being the subject of transfer speculation last season with a deadline-day move to AFC Bournemouth falling, Patson Daka will make his return to the Premier League with Leicester after winning the Championship.
Before December 9, 2023, the 25-year-old had only appeared in one of Leicester City’s 19 league games, making the bench ten times and missing eight. However, after Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy were sidelined in December due to illness and injury, respectively, Enzo Maresca, who is now the head coach of Chelsea, turned to Daka, who went on to score two back-to-back goals against Plymouth and Millwall, as well as a brace against Rotherham, in six consecutive championship starts before joining the Chipolopolo camp.
Daka concluded his season with Leicester City in the Championship with 7 goals and 5 assists in 20 games to win his tenth trophy in Europe.
He returns to the Premier League with alot of experience, having already made 53 appearances in the English topflight, scoring 9 goals and providing 7 assists.
Leicester City will begin their Premier League campaign against Tottenham on August 19, 2024.
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