Manchester United have been linked with a move for Freiburg playmaker Johan Manzambi, who has impressed Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany and is in fine form for Switzerland at the World Cup. Kompany previously declared Manzambi a 'top talent', giving the 20-year-old a strong seal of approval.
United's transfer plans and Ederson deal
United are still yet to formally complete their first summer signing, though they have struck an agreement to bring in Ederson from Atalanta for an initial £35million fee plus an additional £3.8million in add-ons. Ederson is not the only player United could welcome to Old Trafford this summer, but it remains unclear which names will feature on their shortlist before the transfer window shuts.
Manzambi's World Cup form and potential fee
Manzambi has emerged as a possible target for United during the current window, with reports indicating that the versatile playmaker could command a fee of around £43million from his present club, Freiburg. The 20-year-old is currently representing Switzerland at this summer's World Cup and has already netted three times during the group stage. His most recent strike for his nation was in Switzerland's 2-1 win over co-hosts Canada earlier this week, a display that would have captured the interest of any side weighing up a summer approach.
Kompany's praise for Manzambi
It was towards the tail end of last season that Kompany revealed he had long been aware of Manzambi's abilities, at a point when early whispers about a summer switch had begun to surface. "People always thought that England had snapped up a lot of quality from Germany," Kompany said back in April, via Goal. "But what's happening in Germany now? You've got players like (Yuito) Suzuki (SC Freiburg), (Johan) Manzambi (SC Freiburg) or (Bilal) El Khannouss (VfB Stuttgart) on the pitch. There's a new generation of top talent emerging in Germany."
Manzambi's club performance and World Cup prospects
Manzambi notched seven goals and contributed nine assists across 47 appearances for Freiburg last season. He will be eager to build on the three strikes he has already registered at the World Cup as he prepares to feature in the knockout stages of the competition. Whether United will be among the clubs pursuing him remains to be seen, but his displays have turned heads in the Bundesliga.
