Johan Manzambi has caught the attention of many people this World Cup, and Unai Emery is one of them. Both Villa and Newcastle were tracking him before the tournament, but it seemed Newcastle were ahead of Villa after agreeing terms with Freiburg last week for £51 million. But now reports suggest Villa have swooped in to strike a deal with Manzambi’s team and Freiburg.
Villa Can Offer Champions League Football to Manzambi
The player caught the attention of Villa when Freiburg were playing in the Europa League; Villa knocked them out, but Manzambi left a lasting impression on everyone at Villa. Manzambi’s versatility, athleticism, as well as technical quality make him a perfect fit for Emery and Aston Villa.
A big factor is that Aston Villa will be competing in the Champions League next season, whereas Newcastle will not. This could be the defining factor that tilts the advantage towards Aston Villa. Newcastle look to other targets in midfield now to replace Sandro Tonali, who left for Spurs earlier in the transfer window.
As for Aston Villa, they seem to have landed a great prospect right under the nose of a Premier League rival.
