Aston Villa fans are yet to really see the best of Johan Manzambi after his €60m move from Freiburg in the summer transfer window.
The 20-year-old moved to Villa Park with a growing reputation after impressing at the German club, and then the World Cup with Switzerland.
Indeed, it was his performances in the summer that arguably secured his move to the Premier League a couple of weeks later.
A slow start to the season for Unai Emery’s side, and a knee bruise, have robbed Aston Villa of their summer signing so far, with him appearing in just 22% of the available minutes in the Premier League to date.
He has managed to impress in two appearances of course, with a goal and an assist to his name, but it’s fair to say Villa haven’t seen the best of him yet.
International break star
Rest assured, though, there is a top talent in there. Manzambi has been proving that in this international break. He’s played in all three games to date. That’s seen Switzerland beat both North Macedonia and Scotland 3-0 and then Slovenia 2-1.
And his performances in those games have not gone unnoticed. Blerim Dzemaili was particularly impressed by the Aston Villa man.
“In the more than 20 years I’ve been following the national team, I’ve never seen such a complete player,” he said on the Blick podcast Forza!
“Before the World Cup, I was of the opinion that he should come off the bench. Now, he’s become indispensable to the team. The move to Aston Villa was exactly the right step for him.”
Money well spent
In fact, he is absolutely convinced that the midfielder will be shining in the Premier League before too long.
“But a player like Manzambi can succeed anywhere,” he added.
“He’s grounded enough for that and has the necessary patience. I think he’s playing even better now than before his injury; he’s also gained physical strength. I believe he could become one of the greatest Swiss players of all time.”
That should serve as some assurance for Aston Villa then. They’re yet to see the best of the young midfielder. But as far as Dzemaili is concerned, it’s money well spent.
| Club | Seasons | Appearances | Minutes played | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freiburg II | 2023/24–2024/25 | 20 | 1,100 | 3 | 0 |
| Freiburg | 2024/25–2025/26 | 58 | 3,952 | 9 | 7 |
| Aston Villa | 2026/27 so far | 3 | 125 | 1 | 1 |
| Career total | 2023/24–present | 81 | 5,177 | 13 | 8 |
Senior competitive club matches, including Freiburg II.
Excludes youth competitions, internationals and friendlies.
Source: Opta Analyst. Figures checked on 7 October 2026.
