Zimbabwe defensive duo Garananga and Nakamba complete deadline day moves

Zimbabwe national team defensive pillars Munashe Garananga and Marvelous Nakamba completed transfers to new clubs in the final hours of the winter transfer window on Monday evening.

 

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After falling out of favor at FC Copenhagen, Garananga will play the remainder of the 2025-26 season in Scotland with Edinburgh club Hibernian FC after agreeing to a loan deal. Hibs, currently in fifth place on the Scottish Premiership table, gain a major boost to their defense with the arrival of the powerful center back.

There is no option in place for a permanent move to Scotland for the 25-year-old whose passport has gotten plenty of stamps since moving to European club football in 2022.

Beginning his professional career in the third tier of South African football with Ubuntu Cape Town, he moved to Belarussian club Dynamo Brest for the 2022 season before competing in all three UEFA interclub competitions with Moldovan heavyweights Sheriff Tiraspol. An excellent second half of the 2023-24 season at Belgian Pro League side KV Mechelen saw him earn a move to Copenhagen.

He made 33 appearances over a season-and-a-half and won the Danish Superliga with the capital club but poor form resulted in his latest move, where he is set to play a key role for Hibs. Garananga has 17 caps and 1 goal for Zimbabwe, featuring as a starter in two group stage matches for the Warriors at the recently completed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

“It was through my agent and he was working until the last day. I wasn’t sure what was gonna happen and this came about and I was ready to take this opportunity. It was very quick. I got the call in the afternoon and I was actually taking a nap,” the defender said in comments that reflected the hectic nature of the transfer deadline.

For Nakamba, another key leader in the Zimbabwe setup, his latest transfer comes after a difficult couple of seasons at Luton Town. After struggling with a long-term knee injury as the club suffered consecutive relegations from the English Premier League to League One, the 32-year-old joined EFL Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer.

 

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The former Aston Villa, Club Brugge and Vitesse midfielder joins on a deal that runs until the end of the current season. The short-term deal benefits both parties, with Sheffield Wednesday acquiring an experienced player at a discount after going into administration. They will certainly be relegated from the English second tier after being deducted 18 points due to their financial problems.

Nakamba will have several months to prove that he is back to full fitness. He played every minute of Zimbabwe’s campaign at the 2025 AFCON, showing some positive signs in a fighting effort from the Warriors as they exited at the group stage.

He has made 273 senior appearances in European club football and has an opportunity to establish himself at a club that is in the midst of a major transition while having the flexibility to earn a move elsewhere if he impresses at Wednesday.