As we reported on Flashscore at the end of last week, Newcastle had growing concerns that their pursuit of Manzambi could be scuppered by another club.
Those fears were realised over the weekend, with Aston Villa agreeing a deal for the highly-rated midfielder.
While the outcome is a disappointment for Newcastle, it is understood the club had anticipated the possibility.
Freiburg remained open to offers from multiple clubs throughout negotiations, and Newcastle believed another Premier League side had entered the race in recent days.
The club are now expected to respond quickly.
Sources say Newcastle have already identified several backup options and will intensify work on those deals this week, with the aim of strengthening Eddie Howe's squad before pre-season preparations gather pace.
Away from incomings, uncertainty also remains over the future of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian midfielder is understood to be waiting for Newcastle to grant Arsenal permission to open formal negotiations after expressing a desire to leave St James' Park.
Arsenal have continued internal discussions over a potential move after an initial approach was rebuffed, but the situation could develop if Newcastle soften their stance in the coming weeks.
The setback over Manzambi continues a frustrating transfer window for Newcastle, who also lost out on Spanish winger Victor Munoz earlier this summer, after Liverpool stepped in to secure the player's signature.
Dean Jones is a transfer news and football insider for Flashscore, since 2025. He has been a journalist on leading UK newspapers and websites over the past 20 years, establishing himself as an authoritative and trusted voice in the industry.
