Aston Villa have been handed a major fitness boost after club-record signing Johan Manzambi returned to group training ahead of Saturday’s trip to Hull City.
The 20-year-old has yet to make his competitive Villa debut after arriving from Freiburg with a knee injury, but fresh reporting from Daily Mail journalist Tom Collomosse says Manzambi trained with his new team-mates on Thursday.
That represents genuine progress after Unai Emery said following the Arsenal defeat that Villa planned to introduce Manzambi back into collective work this week.
Johan Manzambi returns to Aston Villa training
Manzambi joined Villa in July in a club-record deal worth up to £59.5million, having chosen the move to Villa Park after Newcastle United had also reached an agreement with Freiburg. Read Aston Villa covered the completion of that record transfer at the time.
His start in England has been delayed by the knee problem he carried into the move, leaving Emery without one of the central pieces of his summer rebuild for the opening Premier League defeats against Brighton and Arsenal.
Collomosse reports that Manzambi took part in Thursday’s group session, although it remains unclear whether Emery will consider him ready for Hull on Saturday.
The Villa manager had already stressed that the midfielder would not be rushed.
After the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, Emery explained that Villa wanted Manzambi’s return to be strong and without unnecessary risk, with his work being increased progressively before he rejoined the group.
His involvement on Thursday therefore looks like the next stage of that plan rather than confirmation he will immediately start.
Villa’s latest injury picture can be followed on our Aston Villa injuries and return dates hub, which will now need updating to reflect Manzambi’s return to team training.
There is still a decision to make over Hull.
Villa need their first Premier League points of the season after two defeats, while Emery also has new arrivals Ibrahim Mbaye and Taylor Harwood-Bellis available to consider.
We have already looked at four changes Emery can make against Hull following Villa’s Deadline Day business.
Manzambi’s return now gives him another potential option.
The key question is whether Saturday comes too soon.
