Aston Villa have signed midfielder who is 'on the path to being world-class'
· John Townley · 2026-08-02 · nguồn gốc
Aston Villa's move for Johan Manzambi is one of the most exciting pieces of business in the Premier League this summer, and supporters could get their first glimpse of him under Unai Emery later in pre-season.
Signed for a club-record £52 million from SC Freiburg, Manzambi was already a familiar name to many Villa fans after emerging as one of the breakout stars of the World Cup. He also played a pivotal role in Freiburg's run to the Europa League final.
A 3-0 defeat to Villa in Istanbul wasn't the way Manzambi would have wanted to end his time at Freiburg, but at just 20 years old, he'll now be playing Champions League football at Villa Park next season. The Swiss international arrives with a growing reputation as one of Europe's brightest young talents after impressing for both club and country.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Kevin Hatchard and Andy Brassell gave their verdicts on Manzambi's move to Villa and explained why they believe it's an excellent fit for both player and club.
“He is one of the breakout stars of the World Cup, and he is a guy who can carry the ball out of midfield incredibly well," Hatchard said. "He is only 20, and he was the most fouled player in the Bundesliga, and what that tells you is that he is brave on the ball, doesn’t mind contact, but also people find it incredibly difficult to stop him.
“This is a real coup for them, and of course Villa faced him in the Europa League final against Freiburg. I’m really excited about what Manzambi can do in the Premier League.
"He is a fantastic talent, and he has really blossomed in a good Freiburg team which has been really well coached by Julian Schuster. He has a lot more to give, and we are going to see that.”
Brassell added: “He was one of the few bright spots on the pitch for Freiburg in that Europa League final. I thought one of the most noticeable things about him was that at the end, when Villa were celebrating, Tielemans went across to Manzambi, but he brushed his hand away from his shoulder, and he was the one Freiburg player who didn’t feel ‘fine’ about losing.
“You can see that in him, that he sees himself going to that next level and beyond. Going to the Premier League is no surprise for me, and it is exactly the sort of player that a Premier League team wants - he can produce now, but he has deep potential.
“He is also at the age where you can tell that he is on the path to absolutely being world-class. To sell a player who is 26 or 27 is much more difficult than selling a Manzambi these days.
“It’s a shame for Newcastle that they have lost out on him, but it’s a player that Villa really need for me. It felt to me as if Villa were lacking a player outside of Morgan Rogers who could really open up the door.”