A consensus regarding personal terms was never achieved, however, causing Newcastle to fall short on one of their primary transfer objectives yet again.
The Tyneside club found themselves in a nearly identical predicament with Victor Munoz, settling on a transfer price with Osasuna before the competitor ultimately opted to head to Liverpool instead.
According to reports from The Athletic, Premier League competitors Aston Villa stepped in to disrupt the deal and are currently finalizing the transfer.
🚨 EXCL: Aston Villa in process of finalising move to sign Johan Manzambi from Freiburg. Newcastle United had agreement with #SCF but #NUFC lacked player approval. 20yo Swiss midfielder wants #AVFC & deal now accelerating towards conclusion @TheAthleticFC
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein)
July 12, 2026
It is believed that Villa chose to step up their pursuit of Manzambi following a knee ligament injury sustained by midfielder Amadou Onana.
Manzambi caught the eye during the tournament in North America, netting three goals and setting up another across his four appearances prior to a knee issue cutting his World Cup run short.
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