Everton’s Merlin Röhl backs Aston Villa signing Johan Manzambi to shine in Premier League

Everton midfielder Merlin Röhl believes former Freiburg teammate Johan Manzambi has the quality to make an immediate impact at Aston Villa following his €60million summer transfer.

The 20-year-old Switzerland international arrived at Villa Park after an impressive World Cup campaign, with Villa beating Newcastle United to his signature.

Although Manzambi is still settling into Premier League football, his goal and assist in Aston Villa's recent 3-2 victory over Tottenham have offered an early glimpse of his potential.

Röhl played alongside Manzambi at Freiburg and insists the midfielder's talent was obvious long before his move to England.

“We all thought from the start that he would explode onto the scene,” the Everton midfielder said.

“It’s obvious what incredible quality Johan possesses. That’s why he’ll likely have fewer adjustment issues than I did.”

Manzambi established himself as one of Switzerland's standout performers at the 2026 World Cup.

He scored twice against Bosnia, added another two goals against Canada and contributed assists against Canada and Algeria before a knee bruise ended his tournament prematurely.

Those performances helped convince Aston Villa to invest €60million in the midfielder.

Former Switzerland international Blerim Dzemaili has also backed Manzambi to become a major player.

Speaking on Blick's Forza! podcast, Dzemaili described the youngster as exceptionally complete and praised his decision to join Aston Villa.

“The move to Aston Villa was exactly the right step for him,” he said.

Dzemaili also believes Manzambi has the temperament and patience to succeed at the highest level.

For Villa, the midfielder's contribution against Tottenham was particularly encouraging after a relatively quiet start to his Premier League career.

With his former Freiburg teammate publicly backing him, Manzambi will now look to establish himself as a regular contributor.

Manzambi will aim to build on his performance against Tottenham and secure a more influential role at Aston Villa. Röhl's comments underline the confidence his former teammates have in his ability to make the transition from Bundesliga football.