Villa are in action this morning as they take on Elche CF in a friendly arranged to keep the players on their toes du
10:38, 27 Mar 2026Updated 12:14, 27 Mar 2026
Brian Madjo playing for England Under-17s(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
Brian Madjo could be set to give Aston Villa fans a first glimpse of his talent after he was named on the substitutes’ bench for the friendly against Elche.
The £10m signing from Metz in January has been unable to play a competitive fixture due to issues surrounding his registration.
But he is in the squad that faces Elche this morning with Villa happy to keep those players busy who are not on international duty.
According to The Athletic, FIFA is currently blocking Villa from completing Madjo’s registration.
Madjo, who does not turn 18 until January 2027, is affected by Article 19 of FIFA’s rules, which prohibits international transfers of players under 18.
Although he was born in England, the complication arises because he joined from an overseas club.
The transfer of youth players from overseas has become more complex since the United Kingdom left the European Union in 2020, as clubs no longer qualify for EU exemptions when signing foreign players.
Despite these hurdles, the striker has been training at Bodymoor Heath and is gradually being integrated into the first-team environment.
Madjo has recently played for England’s Under-17s, following appearances for Luxembourg’s senior national team.
Villa’s starting XI for the game against Elche: Marco Bizot, Andres Garcia, Tyrone Mings, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen, Ross Barkley, Douglas Luiz, Jadon Sancho, Harvey Elliott, Emi Buendia and Tammy Abraham.
On the subs bench: James Wright, Owen Asamoto, Ollie Watkins, Brian Madjo, Yeimar Mosquera, Trai-Varn Mulley, TJ Carroll, Ashton McWilliams, Luka Lynch, Mohamed Kone, Woody Burgess, Max Jenner
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