John Murray: Aston Villa supporters may already be familiar with teenage forward Madjo following his impressive run of goals during pre-season.
Madjo was born in London to Cameroonian parents, raised in Luxembourg and made his senior debut for Luxembourg last year.
He has since changed his international commitment to England and represented the country at Under-17 level.
Following a dispute over his eligibility, he eventually received permission to appear in competitive fixtures for Villa. His official debut came last week, when he scored against Paris St-Germain in the Super Cup.
He is an imposing young forward who appears to have an exciting career ahead of him.
Guy Mowbray: A possible loan departure has been discussed, but Madjo’s string of pre-season goals and eye-catching contribution against PSG could persuade Villa to retain him until at least the next transfer window.
Should he remain with the club, he will be difficult to overlook. He is a strong and powerful striker who possesses many of the qualities required to thrive.
Steve Bower: My original choice was Johan Manzambi, whom I also selected for a similar feature highlighting new players to follow at the World Cup. After an outstanding tournament, Manzambi joined Villa despite interest from Newcastle.
However, I did not want to select two players from the same team. Madjo first came to my attention when Villa paid slightly more than £10m for him in January, before encountering widely reported difficulties with his registration.
He was able to feature throughout pre-season and quickly stood out, scoring four times in matches against Walsall, Real Sociedad and Indonesia All-Stars. Unai Emery then handed him a chance against PSG, and he responded with another goal.
His remarkable size and physical presence for such a young player have already prompted early comparisons with Erling Haaland, although that is a significant expectation to place on him.
While it is important not to burden a 17-year-old with excessive pressure, Villa’s involvement in the Champions League will create a busier schedule and should provide Madjo with opportunities to play.
The circumstances seem ideal for his progress. With experienced forwards such as Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham already available, Villa can gradually integrate Madjo into the senior side without depending on him immediately.
Emery also appears well suited to guide Madjo’s development, and the youngster could make a noticeable contribution in several competitions this season.
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