Aston Villa have completed the signing of Johan Manzambi from SC Freiburg for a club record £52 million, securing one of the most promising young midfielders to emerge from Germany. The 20-year-old Switzerland international has signed a long-term contract at Villa Park, choosing Unai Emery's side over Newcastle United.
Villa Hijack Newcastle's Move
Villa accelerated their interest in Manzambi following the ACL injury suffered by Amadou Onana, hijacking Newcastle's move for the midfielder earlier this week. The 20-year-old starred during Freiburg's run to the Europa League final last season and impressed at this summer's World Cup, scoring three goals and providing two assists in four matches before missing games against Colombia and Argentina through injury.
What Villa Fans Can Expect
German football expert Florian Forst, speaking to Bulinews, described Manzambi as a "real gem of a midfielder." Forst explained: "His early step up to senior football came as no surprise, nor did his Bundesliga debut at the age of 18 during the season before last. The Swiss youngster shone even at such an early stage of his career; Villa fans can look forward to a real gem of a midfielder…primarily a box-to-box player with a high work rate and strong physical presence."
Forst added: "In the Bundesliga, his runs were at times even feared; thanks to his power, close ball control, agility, and ability to hold his own, he frequently broke through tackles and covered significant ground. Consequently, he was one of the top players in his position last season in terms of progressive runs…excelled in attack. He was particularly impressed with his clean passing, which included highly intelligent deliveries to his teammates. He always kept his head up, rarely missing a teammate in a better position. Added to this was his excellent positioning in and around the penalty area, combined with the finishing ability he recently showcased at the World Cup. His shooting technique also makes him a constant threat from distance."
Room for Improvement
Manzambi will turn 21 in October, and Forst warned that his game still needs refinement. "While his general passing is reliable and his progressive runs are excellent, there is definitely still work to be done on his progressive passing game. This is an area where Manzambi can certainly still improve to become an even more well-rounded player. He can also refine his defensive positioning and needs to demonstrate his qualities more consistently if he wants to establish himself as a regular starter in a league as tough as the Premier League."
Forst concluded: "Fans should get ready for one of Europe's most exciting players, as Manzambi possesses all the attributes needed to develop into a world-class talent in the Premier League. Moreover, the versatile midfielder is always capable of producing a special, unexpected moment of magic that is sure to leave both spectators and teammates in awe. If Manzambi stays injury-free and remains as grounded and eager to learn as he was in Freiburg, England is in for a real treat."
Further Transfer Activity
Meanwhile, Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes is expected to join Villa shortly, while talks with Bayern Munich over a loan deal for Joao Palhinha are ongoing. Following Youri Tielemans' move to Manchester United, Villa are also expected to confirm the departure of Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain.
