Aston Villa and Newcastle United have a few things in common. Both clubs have marched twice into the Champions League over the past several seasons. Both have disrupted big-six dominance to lift silverware.
Both have also been hamstrung by financial limitations which haven’t been followed with the same rigid obediance as certain other Premier League clubs. This makes the magic of Unai Emery‘s project even more impressive.
The Villa’s superstars fell from the tree like autumn leaves after the Europa League was bagged at the end of 2025/26. Somehow, Emery has welcomed a wide range of new signings who are all showing immense potential.
At the front of the pack: Johan Manzambi.
Why Johan Manzambi is a world-class talent
The genius of Manzambi, 21, can be defined by the fact that you can’t define him. This paradox is better explained by the utter uniqueness of the Swiss international, who was birthed as an elite talent this summer at the World Cup.
Is he a devastating attacker? A box-to-box midfielder? Does Manzambi’s natural athleticism and turbo-like motion mean he should be utilised as a carrier, in the same vein as Morgan Rogers across the first long chapter of the Emery era?
Signed from Freiburg for £50m (or thereabouts), Manzambi carries all the trappings off an elite player. He’s destined for superstardom, alright, with journalist Dan Bardell even saying, “I genuinely think Manzambi will end up being world class.” Already, he has posted three goals and three assists in all competitions, having played six times.
Aston Villa were ruthless when hijacking Newcastle’s move to sign him this summer, and already, it’s paying dividends.
|
Premier League Form (2026/27) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per 90) |
Manzambi |
Rogers |
|
Matches (starts) |
4 (3) |
7 (7) |
|
Goals + Assists |
2 + 2 |
4 + 1 |
|
Touches* |
33.0 |
48.6 |
|
Accurate passes* |
15.3 (85%) |
22.9 (78%) |
|
Big chances created |
1 |
2 |
|
Key passes* |
1.8 |
1.9 |
|
Possession lost* |
8.0 |
12.7 |
|
Succ. dribbles* |
1.3 |
1.9 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
2.8 |
5.0 |
|
Def. contributions* |
1.1 |
2.8 |
|
Duels won* |
3.3 |
6.4 |
Perhaps the fact that Manzambi’s early form has halted upset over Rogers’ record-breaking transfer to Chelsea is the biggest illustration of his potential.
You could say the same for Nicolas Jackson up top, replacing Ollie Watkins, but there’s actually another Villan attacker who has the potential to outstrip the lot of them.
Aston Villa have a bigger talent than Manzambi
Your first thought here might be Ibrahim Mbaye. The 18-year-old winger is certainly talented, making a big impact already for his new club after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in a £43m summer move. However, he’s yet to prove he has the kind of quality that Manzambi is wreaking onto the Premier League.
To be fair, Brian Madjo hasn’t even made his Premier League debut for Aston Villa, but the young striker scored in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain in August. Some debut, that, and a fine illustration of the 17-year-old’s superstar potential.
After all, he’s already being likened to the best of the best. It’s not just the teenager’s predatory instincts in front of goal which suggest he is a “Haaland in the making” for the Midlands club, as said by esteemed Spanish journalist Guillem Balague. His timing, strength and power make him a force to be reckoned with. Already, he has shown that he can throw some with some of Europe’s finest defenders.
Madjo created two chances against PSG, and his hold-up play was immense. Already standing at 6 foot 4, Madjo does have something Haaland-esque about him, and if he can live up to that early billing (no pressure), there’s no question that Emery could land himself a future superstar, someone whose impact might secure Villa’s status as one of the best clubs in the world, routinely challenging for the Premier League and Champions League.
Madjo is the real deal, but injury has kept him on the sidelines since making that emphatic start to life with Aston Villa. Now, though, he’s made his way back to the squad, and is keen to show why Aston Villa paid about £10m to bring him over from Metz in Ligue 1, having only made five senior appearances for the French side.
Madjo is already worth more, but if he can truly become a ‘Haaland-like’ forward for Emery, we could be talking about a market value in excess of £100m quite soon. All eyes will be on the England youth international when he makes his bow in the Premier League, an unused substitute on Saturday evening, as Villa beat Newcastle 1-0.
The fact that Aston Villa have players capable of fighting for titles right now, with a wave of elite potential also coming through, is incredibly exciting.
Manzambi and Mbaye could be world-beaters down the line, but in Madjo, they could have a new talisman for the ages.
