The 25-year-old Zimbabwe international arrived at Villa Park on a five-year deal from Club Brugge in August
Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba says playing in the Uefa Champions Leaguewith Club Brugge geared him up for the demanding Premier League.
The Zimbabwean has now made two Premier League appearances for Villa, the latest being against Arsenal last weekend.
His competitive debut for The Claret and Blue Army was in the 6-1 Carabao Cup win over Crewe Alexandra in late August.
Having previously turned out for AS Nancy in the French Ligue 2 and Dutch Eredivisie side Vitesse, Nakamba feels the Premier League standard is almost similar to the Uefa Champions League level he experienced with Club Brugge last season.
“The Premier League standard is higher when compared to the Belgian league but of course in Belgium I played Champions League with Club Brugge. Champions League and Premier League is almost similar and so it’s been good,” Nakamba told BBC.
“This is my first year here, I am still trying to settle, learn and give everything every time I am given the opportunity to play.
“I am proud to be part of a great team with a great history like Aston Villa. It’s an opportunity for me to learn and do my best and try to give everything.”
Nakamba is the fourth Zimbabwean to play in the Premier League after Liverpoollegendary goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, ex-Coventry City forward Peter Ndlovu, and former Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwari.
He hopes playing in the Premier League would help inspire young Zimbabwean footballers to follow his path.
“It’s good for my country to have someone representing them and I also think it’s good for the upcoming players, the young ones back home. I think they can believe and have faith that nothing is impossible,” Nakamba said.
Already being hyped as arguably the best Zimbabwean footballer of his generation, Nakamba is expected to help Zimbabwe qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations(Afcon) and 2022 Fifa World Cup.
He represented Zimbabwe at the last two Afcon finals but was excused from the 2022 World Cup qualifier preliminary round assignment against Somalia earlier this month to allow him to settle in at Villa.