Two years ago, Tawanda Maswanhise made his first senior appearance, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute for Leicester in the FA Cup. He never played again for them.
Fast forward to today, and the Zimbabwean’s blossoming career will leave the beleaguered Foxes ruing their decision to let him go, though he is still an unknown quantity outside of Scotland.
This season, 18 goals in 29 appearances for Motherwell have propelled him to the summit of the country’s goalscoring charts, amongst much bigger names such as Benjamin Nygren and Lawrence Shankland. So who is Tawanda Maswanhise? Let's have a scout report.
So… who exactly is Tawanda Maswanhise?
Name: Tawanda Maswanhise
Position/s: Centre-forward, right winger
Age: 23 (Born: 20 November 2002)
Nationality: Zimbabwean
Height: 1.80m (5ft 11in)
Preferred Foot: Right
Current Club: Motherwell
Born in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, Maswanhise developed in Leicester’s academy from 2011-24, but was unable to break through into the first team. He never played a senior match for the Foxes, in fact, and was released on a free transfer, before going on trial with several Scottish sides before landing a gig at Fir Park.
An electric goal against South Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations announced him on the world stage, as he shimmied past Sphephelo Sithole and Mbekezeli Mbokazi before firing past Ronwen Williams.
Maswanhise's strengths
Speed: His father Jeffrey was a competitive sprinter and has clearly passed his speed down to his son. Motherwell? Clearly, his father's well. Frightening pace allows him to steal behind defensive lines and he escapes offside traps easily.
Dribbling: While he may be gangly, Maswanhise certainly knows how to use his frame. He bounces between defenders and has a knack for emerging with the ball despite being surrounded by multiple defenders. He is also not afraid to take a man on and will use his pace to take a heavy touch and burst past a player, Gareth Bale-style.
Fitness: While his pace is extraordinary, Maswanhise’s fitness is excellent, too. He regularly plays 80+ minutes for Motherwell in the league, and he is capable of replicating dynamic movement in the dying moments of games.
Ball-striking: The Zimbabwean’s right foot regularly produces vicious shots, and his goal against South Africa demonstrated an ability to produce exceptional power through the laces. He takes a short backlift, but swings unusually far on the follow-through, seemingly out of control, but you can’t argue with the trajectory of the ball, which ends up in the net.
Maswanhise's areas of development
Tactical awareness: Predicably, for someone so young playing every game, he would need to improve his understanding of the game to elevate his level. He remains a versatile option up front or off the right wing, but adherence to press patterns and a temperance in forward momentum would be necessary if he were to join a Premier League side.
Heading: At 5ft11, you could argue the 23-year-old should produce a greater output from headers. A stoppage-time winner against Dundee United last May was the last time he scored with his head
Weak foot: Very few of Maswanhise’s goals have come from his weak foot, and he doesn’t scrounge enough chances in the six-yard box to compensate. You might not be able to beat him in a footrace, but show him onto his left foot and that may just be enough to stop an attack.
Maswanhise's ceiling
FORWARDS Franculino Dju, Ricardo Pepi, Rayan
It’s difficult to say, as it feels like the world is his oyster as he tears up Scotland this season. Celtic are inevitably sniffing around, so a shot in European competition would prove whether he is capable of making the step to England.
