Zambian striker Kingston Mutandwa has joined newly promoted Austrian Bundesliga side SV Ried on loan from Italian Serie A club Cagliari, with an option to buy.
Mutandwa signed for Cagliari from Atletico Lusaka in August 2023 and was initially assigned to the youth team before being promoted later that year.
In the youth setup, the 22-year-old featured in 18 matches, scoring five goals — a performance that earned him a place in the senior squad.
Last year, he extended his contract with Cagliari, committing to the club until 2028.
However, since his promotion, he has only made twelve appearances across all competitions, scoring just once.
With this loan move to Ried, Mutandwa will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu, who rose to prominence in the Austrian league while at RB Salzburg before securing moves to Leicester City and Brighton respectively.
“Ried presented me a project that really excited me. After talking to the sporting management and learned the club’s ambitions, I knew this was the right place to develop myself, both as a player and personally,” Mutandwa said after being unveiled on Wednesday.
“I’ve also heard a lot of good things about the fan culture and the passion of the fans here, which motivates me very much,” he added.
Ried earned promotion to the top flight after winning the Austrian second-tier league last season. With Mutandwa in their ranks, the club will hope he provides the firepower needed to help them stay in the Bundesliga beyond next season.
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