Goal.com: Manzambi becomes Aston Villa's most expensive signing, involved in 6 goals in 6 games

This summer, when Manzambi joined Aston Villa, two records were broken simultaneously. The Premier League club paid Freiburg 60 million euros in transfer fees, plus bonuses. Manzambi thus became Villa's most expensive signing in history and Freiburg's most expensive player sale.

His value was proven both during his time at Freiburg – where he scored 7 goals and provided 9 assists in 47 official matches – and by his previous performances at the World Cup. Now 21, he scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in the finals held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Initially used as a substitute, he played a crucial role in Switzerland's progression to the knockout stages. More painfully for Switzerland, the rising star missed the round of 16 penalty shootout loss to Colombia due to a bruised knee, as well as the quarter-final exit after a 3-1 extra-time defeat to reigning champions Argentina.

The injury proved more stubborn than expected. Manzambi missed the start of the season, and Aston Villa's start was equally dismal. The team collected only one point from their first three league games. Upon his return, Manzambi came off the bench in the final minutes but witnessed another defeat for his new club: Aston Villa lost 2-1 to Nottingham Forest, managed by Nuno Espírito Santo.

Seven days later, Manzambi's first start finally brought a turning point. The versatile attacking midfielder opened the scoring, then assisted Nicolas Jackson for the second goal in a 2-0 victory against a similarly struggling Tottenham Hotspur. Villa ultimately won 3-2, securing their first Premier League victory thanks to Manzambi's crucial performance.

Since then, the situation has significantly improved. The Swiss international has contributed another 2 goals and 2 assists in subsequent appearances. He particularly shone in a 6-0 Champions League victory over Fenerbahçe; in the league, he scored the winning goal against Newcastle United, helping his team to a 1-0 victory.

This summer, Villa's new signing actually almost joined Newcastle, but Freiburg blocked the Magpies' plans at the last minute. Freiburg's sporting director Jochen Saier mentioned "truly intensive negotiations and consultations" in his statement. Adding intrigue was that Newcastle had defeated Manzambi and Freiburg 2-0 in the Europa League final two months prior.

This turned out to be an opportunity for Manzambi, who has now directly contributed to 6 goals in 6 official matches, quickly winning the hearts of the fans. He even has his own chant, set to the tune of the classic song "Zombie." Now at Villa Park, supporters often sing: "He's in your head, in your head, Manzambi, Manzambi, Manzambi, bi, bi, bi." Initially, Manzambi did not notice this tribute. He recently told Blick: "To be honest, I didn't hear anything on the field." He later discovered it in a video on social media: "I was very happy when I heard it."

The media has described him as "fast, skillful, intelligent, elegant, impressive, and incredibly balanced." The BBC even called him "one of the greatest talents in world football." The Daily Telegraph speculated that his decision to reject Newcastle may have played a role in Eddie Howe's subsequent resignation as Newcastle manager.

Jackson, who has also been in excellent form recently, was equally effusive in his praise for his new teammate: "He is a very good player. He is constantly improving. I hope he gets better game by game, keeps scoring, and helps me score too. He will go far, and I hope he stays injury-free." The two have developed an excellent understanding on the field.

Manager Unai Emery also spoke highly of Manzambi. "With his characteristics, he brings a very good impact," the meticulous Spaniard said after the Newcastle match. In addition to his "game intelligence," he praised Manzambi's "physical strength," deeming it "very important" for his playing style, both to "support us defensively" and to "help us win duels in attack."

Manzambi had already demonstrated these abilities at the World Cup and at Freiburg. Last season in the Bundesliga, he ranked first in carries over 10 meters (116), runs ending in a shot (13), and fouls won (78). Therefore, it's no surprise that European powerhouses are eyeing him. Yet weeks after joining, rumors of his potential departure have already begun to circulate.

The most concrete interest comes from Barcelona. According to Marca, sporting director Deco has inquired about Manzambi and is evaluating the possibility of signing him next summer. The media has mentioned a possible price of 100 million euros. Considering the transfer fee paid a few months ago, rapid changes in the transfer market in recent years, and the fact that his contract runs until 2031, this figure is not unreasonable.

If Manzambi continues to progress at this pace, acting early might not be a bad idea. For now, his path to the highest level of world football has been laid out.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com