BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — World Cup breakout star Johan Manzambi joined Champions League-bound Aston Villa on Friday in a record transfer deal for a Swiss player.
Manzambi had an offer to join Newcastle but a viral clip after Switzerland’s quarterfinal loss last Saturday in Kansas City showed the 20-year-old midfielder replying yes to Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez’s question if his now-teammate was going to Villa instead.
Villa did not give the length of the contract or transfer fee paid to Freiburg. Manzambi played for the German club against Villa in the Europa League final in May. Villa won 3-0 to end a 30-year trophy drought. Manzambi was named Europa League young player of the season.
British media reported the fee was more than 50 million pounds ($67 million), a record also for Villa.
The previous most expensive Swiss player was Manzambi’s World Cup captain Granit Xhaka, who cost Arsenal about 45 million euros ($51 million) to buy in 2016 from Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Manzambi scored three goals and provided two assists in four World Cup games until injuring a knee in training ahead of the round of 16 win against Colombia.
Starting the tournament as an impact option from the bench, Manzambi became a starter after scoring twice as a second-half substitute in a 4-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin used him in a more advanced creative role than the defensive midfield position he mostly occupied at Freiburg.
Manzambi started with Servette in his home city Geneva and never played in the Swiss league before moving to Freiburg at age 17. Swiss daily Tribune de Geneve reported Servette did not negotiate a sell-on clause that would have earned a bigger share of a future transfer fee.
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