Savio Dominique Nshuti, is now officially an AS Kigali player following a free-transfer from league champions Rayon Sports.

Well, signing Nshuti signals a change by coach Eric Nshimiyimana and for the City of Kigali sponsored club. This just concluded season, the club finished fourth with 53 points, ten points behind champions Rayon Sport.

So why is it a perfect signing, Nshuti is exactly the kind of player that Nshimiyimana needed.

At the age of 19, his signature is a vital weapon in Nshiyimimana’s quest for silverware next season, and to be precise a piece of the jigsaw that can take his team to a new level.

Nshimiyimana and his side worked hard this season, they were organised and full of spirit, but the club wings and attacking midfield options were categorically not that noble enough to cause many threats against the defensive opponents.

It is without any doubt that the club has some good players like Eric Nsabimana who can play the box-to-box role, so a combination with Nshuti as a typical winger will create a difference in the team.

The other advantage is that as a winger, Nshuti can hold the ball, score goals and create more opportunities for the strikers.

He is the kind of player who picks balls from deep; creates space for the strikers and makes the defenders chase shadows given his mobility and efficacy.

So, in terms of team setup and style of play, the former Rayon winger will make AS Kigali significantly better, since he can switch on both wings but there’s much more from him as a resourceful player from the national level, he brings continental experience to Nshimiyimana’s squad.

Losing him by Rayon Sport is an elementary mistake by Coach Djuma Masudi because getting his replacement won’t come easily and since such players, are short in supply.

Just like APR FC, AS Kigali FC finished the season without a single striker netting ten goals, not because their striking force was not strong but because something was not right, the wingers could not drop balls for the strikers to find the net.

Nshuti will be a litmus player for that role, taking into consideration his work rate. Without question, the player is said to have the right temperament, according to his former teammate Djable Manishimwe.

"He is cool, calm and collected,” Manishimwe says

However, how he will manage to maintain a winning tradition in the critical and difficult matches against his former teammates will be his ultimate challenge.

Besides the signing of Nshuti, AS Kigali also acquired a Burundian striker Jean-Claude Ndarusanze from Lydia Ludic Academic (LLB), another perfect transfer for Nshiyimimana who is trying to assemble a strong squad.

Ndarusanze was Burundi’s top scorer with 24 goals; his transfer will add more firepower up-front, his biggest challenge is whether he will be able to adapt in short spell.

The significance of Nshuti is his pace, dribbling, creativity and eye for the ball, what Nshimiyimana exactly needed to step closer to challenging for AS Kigali’s first league trophy.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw