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Aston Villa beat Newcastle to sign Johan Manzambi after completing a club-record £59.5 million deal for the midfielder from Freiburg.
Newcastle agreed a deal worth £49m for the Switzerland international, who was the breakout star at the World Cup as he scored three goals in their run to the quarter-finals.
However, Villa made a late bid to sign 20-year-old Eddie Howe.
According to The sky in GermanyManzambi’s total package is worth around £59.5m (€70m) and includes add-ons.
It was a club-record transfer, paying Everton £50m for Amadou Onana in the summer of 2024.
Manzambi became Villa’s first signing of the summer, with Europa League holders Wolves also completing a £38million deal for midfielder Joao Gomes.
Villar’s midfield recruitment comes after £35m exit of Youri Tielemans from Manchester UnitedWhile Onana is set for a long absence after suffering a serious knee injury at the World Cup with Belgium.
How Villa beat Toon to sign Manzambi
Manzambi has verbally agreed personal terms with Newcastle but is waiting until after the World Cup in Switzerland before making a final call on his future.
But the offer of Champions League football is said to have been a key motivation behind the decision to choose Villa.
Manzambi – who is primarily a central midfielder – enjoyed a breakout season for the Bundesliga club last season with seven goals and nine assists in 47 appearances in all competitions.
He was also named Europa League Young Player for helping Freiburg reach the final last season, where they were beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa in Istanbul.
Ken Manzambi Villa may have a revelation
Johan Manzambi is Aston Villa’s club-record signing
In a World Cup dominated by the biggest names, Yohan Manzambi is the exception to the rule. With more goals than starts for Switzerland, he became a breakout star, earning his big step after one full season as a starter at Freiburg.
The 20-year-old talent turned down an offer from Newcastle United to sign for Aston Villa, winners of the Europa League final in Freiburg in May. The £49m valuation reflects Manzambi’s rapid rise, although his summer could have been more spectacular.
After his man-of-the-match display against Bosnia-Herzegovina – scoring twice after coming on in the 71st minute – he scored and assisted against Canada. But he left the country stunned after losing to Argentina in the quarter-finals with a minor injury.
Could he have steered them against aging opposition in overtime? Will Switzerland need extra time with Manzambi? “We missed him greatly,” said Bruno Berner Sky Sports. “He would have given us something different.”
Read here for Adam Bate’s feature on Manzambi in its entirety.
