- Published
In just two years Johan Manzambi has gone from being an unknown teenager to a European star.
asserted
Manzambi → publish → star
The 20-year-old could be named young talent of the year at the Ballon d'Or ceremony next month having only made his senior debut for Freiburg in 2024.
uncertain
old → name → 2024
A breakout season in Germany last term convinced Villa to pay more than £50m for a player with just 47 club starts.
asserted
season → convince → starts
Manzambi scored on his full Villa debut to help secure a first Premier League win of the season and now faces Scotland with Switzerland in the Nations League on Tuesday looking to continue his progression.
asserted
Switzerland → score → progression
He scored three goals in four games for Switzerland at the World Cup before a knee injury ended his tournament, only a year after making his full international debut.
asserted
injury → score → debut
It is a rapid rise for a player who used to return to Freiburg's academy to do his washing.
asserted
who → use → washing
Bernhard Weis, who gave Manzambi his debut for Freiburg Under-19s, told BBC Sport: "He is playing for the professionals and he comes to us at the academy and brings some dirty clothes.
"
asserted
he → give → clothes
He didn't have a washing machine so he comes here and washes some clothes.
asserted
he → have → clothes
"I would speak with him and then he would pick up some young guys from the under-13s, under-14s and take them to the train station.
asserted
he → speak → station
"He would see the guys and say, 'come with me, I'll take you to the station', so they could get home.
uncertain
they → see → station
As for his profile, though, Weis did not expect a Ballon d'Or nomination coming so quickly.
asserted
nomination → expect → profile
He added: "I didn't see that.
asserted
I → add → that
I saw something for the first team, for us, but this way, no chance.
asserted
I → see → us
He put on five kilos and then he thought, 'now I go, it's the right moment, I will be faster and stronger'.
asserted
I → put → kilos
Massimo Lombardo, Servette's academy director agreed.
asserted
Lombardo → agree → ?
He first worked with Manzambi when he was 15 and oversaw his early development before he moved to Freiburg as a 17-year-old in 2023.
asserted
he → work → 2023
"It is a real surprise for many people, that he can do something special so quickly," he told BBC Sport.
asserted
he → do → Sport
"For me, the difference he can make is because of his mentality, personality, enthusiasm and courage.
asserted
he → make → mentality
He has the technical skills and tactical skills and the physical possibility now to perform in England.
asserted
He → have → England
"Mentally he was always a player who, when he came into the training session and games, always wanted to do something important.
asserted
he → come → something
You can see that as a player who starts with Freiburg, he took his chance.
asserted
he → see → chance
"I can remember his second game with Switzerland, against the USA and he scored.
asserted
he → remember → USA
It was always important for him to come into the game and to do something."
asserted
him → come → something
Last season Manzambi was named the Europa League's Young Player of the Season, as Freiburg lost the final to Villa in May.
uncertain
Freiburg → name → May
He scored 12 goals in 61 appearances and Weis, now Freiburg II boss, has watched him develop, with Manzambi also learning German in three months.
asserted
Manzambi → score → months
It helped him swiftly move from the academy to the first team, making his debut against Heidenheim a year after joining.
asserted
him → help → Heidenheim
Weis described him a "difference maker" and, among players in the Bundesliga in his position last season, Manzambi ranked first for 10-plus metre progressive carries (116), shot-ending carries (13) and fouls won (78).
asserted
Manzambi → describe → carries
Villa knew he would move this summer so it was a case of now or never for Emery.
asserted
it → know → Emery
Had he gone to Newcastle instead they believed his next move would put him out of their financial reach.
asserted
move → go → reach
The Magpies were always wary of being hijacked, having previously lost Victor Munoz to Liverpool and, while they agreed a deal with Freiburg, they never got a yes from Manzambi.
asserted
they → hijack → Manzambi
Villa then turned the versatile forward into the most expensive Swiss player in history - surpassing Granit Xhaka's £38.25m move from Borussia Mönchengladbach to Arsenal 10 years ago.
asserted
Villa → turn → Arsenal
Yet, despite signing a five-year deal, Weis backed him to make the next step quickly.
asserted
Weis → sign → step
"I think Aston Villa is the right club for him.
asserted
Villa → think → him
He will play every time when he is fit and that's the right way.
asserted
that → play → ?
Then I think he plays two seasons at Villa and then he goes to the next step," he added.
asserted
he → think → step
"After the World Cup I said he must go to the Premier League.
asserted
he → say → League
Bayern Munich were mentioned, he didn't go to [Borussia] Dortmund, [Bayer] Leverkusen.
asserted
he → mention → Dortmund
'A young player who wanted to do something special'
Freiburg have made light of Manzambi's absence and went into the international break unbeaten and sitting third, having topped the Bundesliga after three straight opening wins.
asserted
Freiburg → want → wins
Without him they have won six of their seven games in all competitions, scoring 24 goals, and boss Julian Schuster said earlier this month he had hoped to keep the player.
asserted
he → win → player
It was the same for Lombardo at Servette, who fought to keep their young talent, but the former Switzerland international admitted Manzambi had made the right decisions.
asserted
Manzambi → fight → decisions
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
