Aston Villa are close to completing a transfer for Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi and are expected to secure the signing instead of Newcastle United. Multiple reports say Newcastle had already reached a club-to-club agreement with Freiburg for the 20-year-old, but the player now prefers a move to Villa Park. The Guardian reports that Villa’s approach comes after Manzambi appeared to have given Newcastle verbal assurances over personal terms, but he did not want the agreement formalised until Switzerland finished the World Cup. After Switzerland’s elimination, Villa moved quickly, with Manzambi reportedly sidelined by a minor knee injury. The Athletic and Yahoo Sports also describe the situation as Villa closing in on the deal and indicate Newcastle’s agreement does not translate into the player choosing their offer. The reports frame the move as a significant addition for Villa ahead of their return to the Champions League. The reported transfer cost is cited by The Guardian as around £49 million, while other outlets focus on the shift in the player’s preference and the club-level agreement.