Johan Manzambi is expected to undergo a medical on Thursday ahead of his proposed move to Aston Villa.
The Athletic revealed Villa were finalising a move for the Freiburg midfielder over the weekend, after Manzambi has previously looked on course to join Newcastle United.
Sources with knowledge of the deal, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, said that Villa have agreed to pay a club-record fee that exceeds the £50million ($67.2m; €58.8m at current rates) that they paid Everton for Amadou Onana in 2024. Freiburg sources indicated that the fee represents a club-record sale.
A club-to-club agreement was reached, but the 20-year-old had yet to decide on his preferred destination.
That enabled Villa to step up their existing interest, which was heightened by the loss of Onana to a knee ligament injury and then Manchester United activating the £35m release clause to sign Youri Tielemans. Onana was forced off during Belgium’s round-of-16 win over the USMNT and is now set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The plan is for Manzambi to travel to England before completing his medical on Thursday.
Manzambi excelled against Villa in May’s Europa League final and impressed for Switzerland in their run to the World Cup quarter-finals. He can operate in multiple positions and his arrival would boost Villa before their return to Champions League football next season.
The 20-year-old impressed at the World Cup with Switzerland, scoring three goals, providing two assists, across four games at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Manzambi broke into Freiburg’s first team in the 2024-25 season and has made 58 appearances since. Last season, he registered five goals and five assists across 27 Bundesliga matches as the German side finished seventh. He also excelled against Villa in May’s Europa League final.
Manzambi made his senior international debut in the summer of 2025 and has gone on to play 16 times for his country, scoring six goals in total.
Murat Yakin’s side topped Group B before going on to be knocked out by Argentina in the quarter-finals.