Newcastle United are continuing their pursuit of a World Cup star who has already found the net three times in this summer's tournament.
The Magpies have been repeatedly linked with Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi this summer, with the 20-year-old said to be one of Eddie Howe's top targets in the transfer window.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, talks are ongoing between Newcastle and Freiburg over a potential transfer, with a separate report from Sky Sports claiming the Bundesliga side value Manzambi at over £40million.
Manzambi enjoyed a breakout season in the German top flight last season, as Julian Schuster led Freiburg to the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal and the Europa League final, where they were beaten by Aston Villa.
His efforts in their continental campaign were recognised by UEFA, who named Mazambi the Europa League Young Player of the Season.
Despite only making his senior international debut last year, Manzambi has quickly become integral for Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup.
After coming off the bench in their 1-1 draw with Qatar, he again was introduced as a substitute against Bosnia and Herzegovina - netting twice in the space of 19 minutes in a 4-1 victory.
In their final group game against co-hosts Canada on Wednesday Manzambi was handed his first start of this summer's tournament and again proved the hero for Murat Yakin's side, assisting Ruben Vargas' opener before doubling their lead as Switzerland claimed a 2-1 win to top their group.
Ahead of the tournament he was asked about his future with Freiberg, with his current deal at the Breisgau-Brasilianer set to run for another four years.
“I honestly don’t know,” Manzambi told German outlet Bild. “My contract runs until 2030. We’ll see. Right now, I have to prepare for the World Cup, then we’ll see what the future holds for me.”
