6 hours ago
1
PROTECT YOUR DNA WITH QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY
Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by Adpathway
Published Jul 18, 2026, 8:15 AM GMT+1
Daniel is an experienced football writer and editor, having worked in the football media industry for over a decade.
After voluntarily writing for Fresh Press for two years, helping to build and establish the Read brand, Daniel started a part-time job with Fresh Press that later turned into a full-time writing and editing role, writing for club-specific pages such as Read Norwich, Read Celtic, Read Liverpool, and Read Arsenal.
Daniel spent just shy of a year writing and editing for Liverpool-based website, Anfield Watch, which included conducting and/or transcribing interviews with Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, former Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, and journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Since the summer of 2021, Daniel has worked for Snack Media (now Valnet) and has been a contributor to Football FanCast, on a freelance and full-time basis, as a writer and editor.
Daniel is a Norwich City fan and season ticket holder. He has been heard on BBC Norfolk and helped DAZN with research for their commentary due to his knowledge of the club, along with being featured in several local papers across the country, including the Coventry Telegraph and the Liverpool Echo, for Norwich-related content.
Daniel's knowledge extends to Scottish football, having covered Celtic and Rangers for several years. He particularly enjoys producing player analysis and producing transfer content.
Aston Villa are closing in on multiple significant additions to their midfield ranks after they sold Belgium international Youri Tielemans to Manchester United.
Joao Gomes is set to arrive from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a permanent deal after the Old Gold were relegated from the Premier League last season.
Meanwhile, the Villans have announced the signing of Johan Manzambi from Bundesliga side Freiburg agreeing a deal worth up to £49m for the midfielder after his impressive performances at the World Cup.
The Switzerland international scored three goals and provided two assists in four appearances at the World Cup, and will now be bringing his talents to Unai Emery's side.
How Johan Manzambi became a star at Freiburg
The 20-year-old talent came up through the ranks at Servette in his home country of Switzerland, before deciding to sign for Freiburg in Germany in January 2023.
Instead of moving to an elite European team to potentially waste away in the youth ranks or to be a bit-part player, Manzambi joined a club with a clear pathway to the first-team and eventually worked his way into the senior side.
Before turning 21, the central midfield star has already scored nine goals and provided 11 assists in 58 appearances for Freiburg's first-team in all competitions, including two goals in 15 outings in the Europa League.
He has benefitted from playing regular first-team football at a non-elite European team, with Freiburg usually a midtable or Europa League level Bundesliga club, and now he has earned a big move to the Premier League.
|
Appearances |
27 |
|
xG |
3.85 |
|
Goals |
5 |
|
Big chances created |
6 |
|
xA |
5.13 |
|
Assists |
4 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.2 |
Other young players could learn from Manzambi's career path and how he has forged a successful career path for himself without jumping too high too early.
Aston Villa in talks to sign a bigger talent than Manzambi
The club are now looking at bringing in another exciting young player who has taken a different, and possibly less effective, path in his senior career to date.
Friday's edition of Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo reports that Aston Villa are one of a number of teams in the race to sign Barcelona winger Roony Bardghji in the summer transfer window.
The outlet claims that the Villans have made an approach to open talks with the LaLiga champions over a deal to sign the 20-year-old forward ahead of next season.
It adds that Barcelona are set to make a final decision on his future before 27th July, with a permanent or loan exit on the cards, and that Leeds United and Fulham are also keen on securing his signature.
Bardghji decided to make the move to Barcelona from Copenhagen in the summer of 2025, instead of joining a side like Freiburg where he would play regularly, and only started seven games in LaLiga last season.
His ranking against fellow wingers in the Spanish top-flight on the basis of his per 90 numbers suggest that he was wasted as a bit-part player at Barcelona, as he produced quality numbers in limited minutes.
Unfortunately, he has Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, also left-footed wingers, ahead of him in the pecking order, and they combined for 45 goals and 24 assists in all competitions for the Spanish giants.
Deco did say that the Sweden international is "similar to Lamine Yamal", though, and that makes sense as they are both left-footed right wingers who cut in from the flank to score and create goals.
David Ornstein claims that the 20-year-old wants to be the "world's best player" in the future, but that seems unlikely to happen if he stays at Barcelona and rarely plays because Yamal is ahead of him in the starting line-up.
Manzambi has flourished with regular game time at Freiburg and Bardghji could develop in the same way if given regular minutes with Aston Villa, particularly given the impressive per 90 numbers he put up in laLiga.
The Swiss star, for example, put up 0.22 xA and 0.26 'big chances' created per 90 in the Bundesliga, whilst Bardghji registered 0.26 xA and 0.42 'big chances' created per 90 in LaLiga.
The Barcelona forward could, therefore, be an even bigger talent than Manzambi for the Villans if they provide him with the platform to play week-in-week-out and develop in the same way that the £49m-rated star did for Freiburg.
English (US) · 
French (CA) ·