Aston Villa handed £59.5m boost after Newcastle United transfer hijack
Newcastle United transfers: Johan Manzambi is set to make his St James’ Park debut this weekend - for Aston Villa.
Johan Manzambi had verbally agreed to join Newcastle United from Freiburg in the summer before Aston Villa swooped to hijack the deal.
The Magpies had identified the 21-year-old as one of their top midfield targets after he impressed for Switzerland at the World Cup, and a move to St James’ Park had been lined up.
But Villa entered the race late and were able to offer the added attraction of Champions League football, with Manzambi eventually completing a club-record £59.5million move.
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Now Newcastle are preparing to come up against the midfielder they came so close to signing.
Manzambi opened the scoring in Villa’s emphatic 6-0 Champions League victory over Fenerbahce on Wednesday night, just days before Unai Emery’s side travel to St James’ Park on Saturday for a 5:30pm kick-off.
The Switzerland international has scored twice in five appearances since moving to Villa and his latest display served as a timely reminder of the qualities Newcastle had hoped to add to their own midfield.
The Magpies instead added Nico Gonzalez, Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba during the summer transfer window. Gonzalez and Steur are yet to start a match together, while Bamba is still waiting for his first start.
Manzambi will now have an early opportunity to show Newcastle exactly what they missed out on.
Villa travel to Tyneside sitting three points behind Newcastle in the Premier League table, although a victory by more than one goal would see Emery’s side leapfrog their opponents.
They will also arrive with positive memories of their last visit to St James’ Park. Villa ended a 21-year wait for an away victory over Newcastle last season, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Emi Buendia and Ollie Watkins.
Despite overseeing Villa’s biggest-ever Champions League win on Wednesday night, Emery quickly turned his attention towards the weekend.
“My focus is on Saturday against Newcastle and the players must be so, so focused for it, and keep improving things and working things every day to try to get better,” Emery said.
“Some [players], they are progressively getting better and showing it like [Ibrahim] Mbaye, like Manzambi – of course, after his injury, he is progressively feeling comfortable; he scored a goal.
“Nicolas Jackson, as well, he is feeling better and better. But we need more players. We need as well in different competitions to be trying to be focused and demanding in the direction we want to build for this season.”