Swiss World Cup hero Manzambi joins Aston Villa from Freiburg

18 Jul 2026 01:56AM

July 17 : Aston Villa have signed attacking midfielder Johan Manzambi from Freiburg, the Premier League club said on Friday, after the Switzerland international impressed at the World Cup where he finished as the country's top goal-scorer.

Manzambi scored three goals and provided two assists as Switzerland reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954 before losing 3-1 to Argentina.

Manzambi joined Freiburg's youth academy in 2023 and was promoted to the senior team a year later. He went on to make 58 appearances for the Bundesliga club, scoring nine goals.

He played a key role in Freiburg's run to their first major European final as the German side finished runners-up to Villa in the Europa League.

"Manzambi will take the No.44 shirt, the number he wore for the Bundesliga side when he faced Villa in Istanbul," the club said in a statement.

Aston Villa open their Premier League campaign at Brighton on August 23.

Source: Reuters