Emi Martinez appeared to ask Johan Manzambi if he was joining Aston Villa just hours before they swooped in to hijack Newcastle’s bid.
One of the breakout stars of the 2026 World Cup, eSPORTY understands Manzambi is poised to join Villa – despite Newcastle agreeing a €60million (£51.2million) with German club Freiburg for the midfielder.
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Martinez asks the question
And not long before news of the 20-year-old’s impending move to the West Midlands broke, Villa and Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez couldn’t resist bending Manzambi’s ear about the situation.
“You’re going to Villa?” Martinez joked with Manzambi as players shook hands following Argentina’s 3-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday night.
Manzambi’s reply was not audible on the footage from Arrowhead Stadium, but he does appear to be on his way to Villa Park.
Manzambi comes of age on the biggest stage
Playing at his first major tournament, Manzambi announced himself on the biggest stage when he came off the bench to bag a brace in Switzerland’s 4-1 group victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He went on to score once more and provide two assists before a knee injury prevented him from playing any part beyond the round of 32.
Nonetheless, he did more than enough to catch the eye in North America and is set to play Premier League football next season.
Born in Geneva, Manzambi spent time with the academy of Swiss club Servette before switching to Freiburg in 2023.
He made his first-team debut the following year and has gone on to feature 58 times for the Bundesliga side in all competitions, scoring nine goals.
Called up to the Switzerland senior squad for the first time last summer, he’s already netted six times in 16 caps.
Incredibly, Manzambi actually started out wanting to be a goalkeeper, growing up idolising Manuel Neuer.
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Newcastle miss out again
Manzambi is the latest player Newcastle have missed out on to another Premier League club.
In recent years, the Magpies have failed to get deals over the line for the likes of James Maddison, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko.
Manzambi could become Villa’s second first-team signing of the summer after centre-back Modou Keba Cisse arrived from Austrian outfit LASK.
Unai Emery and co. are preparing for a return to Champions League football next term, having ended Villa’s 30-year wait for a major trophy with Europa League glory last time around.
As for Newcastle, who will be without European football in 2026/27, they’ve already made three additions to their squad.
Goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, winger Bazoumana Toure and midfielder Sean Steur have come in from Reims, Hoffenheim and Ajax respectively.
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eSPORTY verdict
Manzambi’s possible transfer to Aston Villa was a hot topic on Sunday night’s Trans Euro Express.
European football experts Kevin Hatchard and Andy Brassell see him as a perfect Premier League player.
Hatchard said: “He is one of the breakout stars of this World Cup. He’s a guy that carries the ball incredibly well in midfield for Freiburg and he’s only 20.
“He was the most fouled player in the Bundesliga and what that tells you is that A, this is a guy who’s brave on the ball and B, he doesn’t mind a bit of contact.
“People find it incredibly difficult to stop him. If Villa do pull this off and it looks as though that’s the way it’s heading, this is a real coup for them.”
Brassell said: “You can see that he sees himself going to that next level and going beyond, actually. So to see him move into the Premier League is no surprise for me.
“It’s exactly the sort of player that a Premier League team wants, a player that we know can produce now, but really is about the deep potential he has and the fact that he’s at that age as well, where you can tell that he’s really on the path to being absolutely world class.
He added: “It’s a real shame for Newcastle that they’ve lost out on this or seemingly lost out on this.
“It does strike me as, even if there’s doubt whether Villa could really afford this, certainly at the start of the negotiations, it’s a player that Villa really need for me, even without the Amadou Onana injury, because they’re very different sorts of players.
“It felt to me as if Villa were lacking a player outside Morgan Rogers who can really unlock the door.”
