Emi Martinez is going viral for having a full conversation with Johan Manzambi as video footage comes out.
After Argentina beat Switzerland, their goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez seemed to ask Swiss player Johan Manzambi if he was joining Aston Villa this summer – and a video of that moment is going viral.
Manzambi, who stood out for Switzerland at the World Cup, has been linked with a move to the Premier League lately. The 20-year-old midfielder looked close to joining Newcastle last week as talks got serious, and the clubs even agreed on a deal.
But on Sunday evening, Aston Villa stepped in and are now close to signing Manzambi, according to The Athletic. Manzambi is said to prefer Villa, especially after their player Amadou Onana got injured and will miss months due to a serious knee injury.
The deal could be a club-record £60 million. On Saturday, it still seemed Manzambi was heading to Newcastle, but the chat with Villa’s keeper Emi Martinez after the World Cup game hinted otherwise.
In the video, Martinez asks Manzambi if he’s “going to Villa.” Although it’s hard to hear Manzambi’s full answer, Martinez’s big smile and chest pat show he got good news.
Fans on social media loved the moment. One said, “Emi knew! Plus, this clip shows Martinez is staying too. Look how happy he is to hear Manzambi’s going to Villa.” Another wrote, “How did we miss this?” and others joked about Newcastle missing out and how great Villa’s signing is.
Manzambi caught attention when Freiburg faced Aston Villa in the Europa League final in May. He was Switzerland’s top scorer at the World Cup with three goals.
Switzerland’s coach Murat Yakin praised him, saying he’s a talented, team-focused player who keeps improving and is fun to watch. Former defender Manuel Akanji also praised his creativity, saying Manzambi can make special plays even when you least expect it.
Last season, Manzambi played 47 games for Freiburg, scoring seven goals and giving nine assists.