Aston Villa
- by Amos Bloom
- 12 July 2026
Aston Villa could beat Newcastle United in the race to sign SC Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi.
The Birmingham club have accelerated talks over the last couple of hours, capitalising on a delay that left their Tyneside counterparts exposed to a late hijack.
The transfer saga seemed settled earlier this week when Newcastle reached a full agreement with Freiburg for a €60 million deal.
They intended to make the ‘special‘ 20-year-old Swiss international their marquee midfield signing.
However, despite agreeing terms with the Bundesliga club, Newcastle were yet to secure Manzambi’s approval.
Manzambi opted to hold off on signing while considering other top offers. Villa launched a last-minute bid, and Manzambi is set to join them.
Villa’s interest in Manzambi is driven by a tactical need to address a midfield injury crisis.
The Midlands club have been searching for reinforcements since Amadou Onana suffered a serious knee injury during the latter stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Manzambi fits the dynamic, box-to-box profile manager Unai Emery needs to maintain his high-intensity system.
With Manzambi’s preference now clear, negotiations between Villa and Freiburg are progressing rapidly towards a conclusion.
Missing out on a priority target due to the lack of player approval highlights yet another painful shortcoming in Newcastle’s transfer strategy after they missed out on Victor Munoz earlier this summer.
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Source: Sportsview.co.uk
