Johan Manzambi turned down a move to Newcastle United in favour of joining Aston Villa.
Newcastle agreed a £49million deal with Manzambi’s club Freiberg but were told by the player’s camp that they had to wait until after the World Cup to finalise the transfer.
As reported by NewcastleWorld, the Magpies were never really convinced that the 20-year-old wanted to join and suspected he was keeping his options open. And that is what came to pass.
Less than 24 hours after Switzerland were beaten by Argentina in the quarter-final stage, it was revealed that Manzambi had opted to join Villa.
Unai Emery’s side made their approach over the weekend after Amadou Onana picked up a serious knee injury at the World Cup, while knowing Youri Tielemans was about to join Manchester United.
Johan Manzambi set for Aston Villa medical after turning down Newcastle United move
Social media chatter had suggested Manzambi’s move to Villa Park was in doubt after the Midlands club announced Visit Rwanda as their new front-of-shirt sponsor in a £20million per-season deal on Tuesday.
Visit Rwanda sponsorships in Europe have brought accusations of sportswashing after the Rwandan government were found to be linked to the M23, as per United Nations reports.
The M23 is an ‘armed group’ operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with a United Nations Report in 2025 stating that it had received ‘first-hand accounts indicating that at least 319 civilians were killed by M23 fighters, aided by members of the Rwanda Defence Force’.
It was suggested that Manzambi’s camp were unhappy with the sponsorship agreement, given that his father is from DR Congo, but clearly it hasn’t derailed the transfer.
Manzambi is due in Birmingham on Thursday to undergo his medical and finalise the move.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are exploring other midfield targets. 18-year-old Sean Steur joined from Ajax for £23million last week, but Eddie Howe’s side are eyeing another midfielder with question marks over the futures of Bruno Guimaraes and Joe Willock.
The Magpies had been credited with an interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes, however he too is joining Villa in a £38million deal.
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