Aston Villa have hijacked Newcastle United's pursuit of Johan Manzambi and are close to finalizing a £49 million deal with Freiburg for the Switzerland midfielder. The 20-year-old impressed at the World Cup and is poised to play for Villa in the Premier League next season, boosting their squad ahead of a Champions League return.
Villa swoop after Newcastle's verbal assurances
Newcastle executives believed they had secured a deal for Manzambi after flying to Germany last week. However, the player offered only verbal assurances on personal terms and did not want anything formalized until Switzerland exited the World Cup, which occurred after a defeat to Argentina on Sunday. With Manzambi sidelined by a minor knee injury, Villa stepped in immediately.
Manzambi made 47 appearances for Freiburg last season, scoring seven goals and contributing nine assists. Villa's victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final in May meant they were not an unknown quantity for the midfielder, who reportedly always had reservations about moving to Newcastle.
Newcastle's difficult summer
This transfer blow adds to a challenging summer for Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. Bruno Guimarães has told the club's hierarchy he wants to leave, preferably for Arsenal. The club has already lost Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham, respectively, and saw Liverpool swoop in to sign early summer target Víctor Muñoz from Osasuna.
Newcastle are implementing a new transfer policy of buying players aged 24 or younger, ideally costing less than £40 million. So far, they have signed three players aged 20 or younger: goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, winger Bazoumana Toure, and midfielder Sean Steur, from Reims, Hoffenheim, and Ajax respectively, spending around £80 million in total.
Howe seeks balance between youth and experience
Howe, whose side finished 12th in the Premier League last season, is anxious to balance youthful promise with experience. He appears determined to keep Guimarães, but much depends on how much Arsenal are willing to pay for the Brazil midfielder and how hard he pushes to leave. Newcastle are still waiting for the Premier League champions to make a formal offer for their 28-year-old captain.
Newcastle have long admired Tottenham's 20-year-old midfielder Archie Gray and may attempt to sign the former Leeds academy graduate this summer.
