The £45m midfielder is set to join Aston Villa

With each step, Aston Villa are making progress in their quest to become one of England’s top outfits again.

Unai Emery’s rise at Villa Park has been remarkable, and the tour was crowned with a Europa League triumph before the summer break, beating Freiburg 3-0 in a one-sided game.

But the 2026/27 campaign will not carry over last year’s juices, and Emery and company are aiming to refresh the squad and strengthen the club’s position in the top four.

There is still a lot to be done. The Villans may have won the race for exciting midfielder Johan Manzambi, but Amadou Onana won’t be kicking balls any time soon, having ruptured the ACL in his right knee while playing for Belgium at the World Cup.

How Aston Villa are coping with Onana’s injury

When Aston Villa’s Onana got his prediction less than a week ago, Villa fans would have been forgiven for thinking the club wouldn’t have completed the sale of Youri Tielemans to Manchester United a few days later.

But the Belgian mainstay is one of the best in the business, proven and calculated on the ball, smart when splitting defensive lines, and controversial when the game is played.

Replacing him will be difficult, especially now that Onana’s calendar year is over. Villa have pipped Newcastle United’s £49m pursuit of Manzambi, and the 20-year-old will add dimension to Emery’s midfield next season, although he brings a different flavor to the likes of Tielemans and Onana.

The Swiss manager Murat Yakin noted that “you can really use him in every position”, and indeed, his versatility is one of his greatest partners, as well as full strength and various technical skills, a keen eye for the goal.

Manzambi can play the sixth position, but that is not his strength. Furthermore, he is not a deep-lying player in the vein of Bergvall, and with that in mind, Aston Villa clearly need another full-back profile before the summer ends.

Aston Villa are in talks to sign a bigger talent than Manzambi

Manzambi’s World Cup campaign received a lot of praise: he scored three goals and provided two assists in four World Cup games for Switzerland, starting just twice.

However, Manzambi has been used as a sort of turbo-charged secret weapon, and his Bundesliga form for Freiburg speaks of a more versatile and powerful midfielder, one who Villa could benefit from someone who brings more control and balance.

Yes, according to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa could be encouraged to launch a formal move for Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall this summer, with the Swedish midfielder, 20, determined to complete a transfer to Villa Park.

Aston Villa haven’t made it official yet, but the £45m-rated Bergvall has already lodged a £17m transfer bid this summer, and with Chelsea also interested, NSWE would be wise to make a quick move.

Former Manchester City player Pep Guardiola has previously singled out Bergvall for his “unstoppable” attacking skills on the ball. In that, he shares structures with Manzambi while at the same time bringing a flavorful passing game.

His flashy skills are a nice bonus, and another Midlands side could use to bring in a more versatile midfield talent, combining elements of players’ different games, such as Tielemans and Manzambi.

His intense play could see him surpass Manzambi in terms of long-term impact, with The Athletic’s JJ Bull having “the first touch of Luka Modric”, and with Tottenham snubbing Barcelona’s bid to sign the 14-capped Swede, who played under Graham Potter at the World Cup, it is clear that this is a powerful young midfielder of world class.

Those acquired by Spurs may be frustrated to be used as a stepping stone by one of the most exciting young midfielders, but it is a credit to Aston Villa’s growth that they are now ahead of them in the Premier League.

Bergvall is a potential star, and with his skills matching those of the outgoing Tielemans, he could end up being the star signing of the summer for Emery’s high-flying outfit.