Nyakuhwa is Newport County's twelfth summer signing, and the winger the manager was still looking for
Archive article. Published on Wed 2 Sept, 03:45. Conditions may have changed since this reporting.
Tanatswa Nyakuhwa is 20, Welsh, a winger, and back at Rodney Parade on a season-long loan from Cardiff City, announced by both clubs on deadline day. The first spell, the second half of last season, ended with an injury after seven League Two appearances, all from the bench: 116 minutes, no goal, two assists and four chances created, which by the API-Football record is an assist every 58 minutes. That is a labelled sum on a sample of seven substitute appearances, too small to rank against the division, and it is the only number he has in a Newport County shirt. Cardiff City count nine first-team appearances for him.
Nyakuhwa at Newport County, League Two 2025-26
- Appearances
- 7
- Minutes
- 116
- Assists
- 2
- Key passes
- 4
- Cardiff City first-team appearances
- 9
Why width was the gap
Hayden Mullins told BBC Sport Wales on 27 August that the club was "still looking" and that "we just need to add in a few areas of the pitch where we feel a little bit light", while planning no departures: "Everyone in the building at the moment is part of the plan." The reason a wide player mattered is Shaquille Gwengwe. Newport County have scored nine League Two goals in four games, the third-highest total in the division, and Gwengwe has three of the nine while playing wide of a front line that already has Christian Doidge and Cole Jarvis for the middle. A winger lets Gwengwe go back to the position he was signed for, which BBC Sport Wales reported as the point of any deadline move.
The twelve
Nyakuhwa completes a window of twelve arrivals, nine permanent: Harrison Biggins, Shaquille Gwengwe, Yahya Bamba, Cameron Norman, Christian Doidge, Dan Sassi, Kyle Cameron and Kieron Evans in June and July, Jake Turner in goal on 21 August, and three loans, Alfie Merritt from Bournemouth, Matt Dibley-Dias from Fulham and now Nyakuhwa. Neither club has stated a fee or the loan terms. The other side of the ledger is why the twelfth was needed: nine conceded in four is the second-most in League Two, and the 2-1 at Salford on the same night was a third late swing in four league games. Northampton Town away on Saturday is next; whether Nyakuhwa is registered for it has not been stated.
Background and supporting figures
Where this sits
Gwengwe has three of Newport County's nine league goals, the striker a winger would move back up front.
Nyakuhwa's first Newport spell was seven substitute appearances, 116 minutes and two assists.
County's nine goals are the third-most in League Two; the nine conceded are the second-most.
Mullins told BBC Sport Wales the squad was light in a few areas; twelve arrivals later, this is the last.