I've seen Johan Manzambi in the flesh and this is why he'd be perfect for Aston Villa

Johan Manzambi is set to become an Aston Villa player this summer.

In the last 18 months, the Swiss talent has emerged as one of the most exciting young midfielders in Europe.

Breaking into Freiburg's first team in 2025, the 20-year-old has continued to shift through the gears in the Bundesliga.

This summer, he scored three times and provided two assists as Switzerland reached the World Cup quarter-finals.

A switch to Newcastle did appear to be on the cards, before, as covered by Villa News this week, his move to the Midlands emerged.

Looking ahead to the season, We take a look at just why he would be perfect for Unai Emery's side.

The personal verdict on Johan Manzambi

On a personal note, both professionally and as a football fan, there are not many players more exciting to me than Manzambi.

In April 2025, I was down in Breisgau covering Freiburg as they looked to all-but seal a European spot against neighbours Hoffenheim - the same European spot that would eventually lead to facing Villa in the Europa League final.

That they did, with a 3-2 win on home soil. But the star of the day remained Manzambi.

He had came off the bench six times that season before matchday 30, but was yet to rack up more than 15 minutes. Scoring his first Bundesliga goal on 12 April away at Borussia Mönchengladbach though, left Julian Schuster with no choice but to start him.

The press box at Europa-Park-Stadion is notoriously low down, with an incredible view of the action, and seeing Manzambi start that day, it was easy to see why all the Freiburg fans I had spoke to who had travelled to Gladbach the week before were in such high spirits about him.

I think as football fans we have all been there in a stadium, when you are almost taken aback by a player.

For myself, fans and colleagues in the stadium that day in April 2025, the feeling was mutual.

Always looking to take the ball and make things happen, Manzambi showed level of naivety only possible with a young player just 19 at the time.

But this naivety proved fantastic. He continued to demand the ball, drive at players and cause problems in and around the box, getting his reward as he assisted Lucas Höler's first-half opener.

Of course, that day would just be the start in comparison to what he has already achieved in his short career, but it is a day that I am thankful to have been there for.

How has Manzambi developed?

Before his emergence, Freiburg had somewhat fallen flat.

As we covered at Villa News before the Europa League final, the Breisgauers are a unique club in the sense that they are 100 per cent fan owned, meaning that big transfers are not exactly a regular occurence.

With a side that has been largely the same for multiple years, Schuster's side were in need of inspiration outside of the ageing Vincenzo Grifo.

Manzambi has provided that, and then some, across multiple roles in midfield out wide

Since his first start, he has proven capable of holding fort in a deeper midfield role, utilising his dribbling abilities out wide, and being a real box-to-box threat with all the physical blessings he has.

In the future, I foresee him fitting into that box-to-box role, with his defensive abilities only growing to compliment the supreme attacking talent - which he has bags of.

Manzambi is creative, full of energy, and possesses a wand of a right foot. And with a move to Villa on the cards, I could not think of a more perfect fit.

Fans will adore his energy, and the ability to get Villa Park rocking will see him fit in instantly.