Fearless 17-year-old Madjo scores on Villa debut after eight-month registration saga

Aston Villa's 17-year-old striker Brian Madjo, signed for £10m from French club Metz, finally made his first-team debut in a pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain - eight months after his move, following a lengthy dispute over his registration.

The complication arose because players under 18 are barred from international transfers, but Villa argued that Madjo, who was born in London, should be exempt. The case was complicated by the fact he had earned three caps for Luxembourg in friendlies before later accepting a call-up to England's Under-17s, for whom he has scored four goals in nine appearances. Fifa normally allows exemptions for minors moving within the European Union, but the UK is no longer part of it. The dispute was finally resolved by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in July, with the ruling arriving just eight days before the PSG match, allowing Madjo to join the travelling squad in Salzburg.

Manager Unai Emery handed the youngster a starting role up front with Ollie Watkins rested following World Cup duty and Tammy Abraham left on the bench. Madjo volleyed in from John McGinn's cross to cancel out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's opener for PSG, after earlier missing a free header and a shot that went wide. Desire Doue scored PSG's second-half winner following a VAR check.

Emery praised Madjo's work ethic and tactical discipline, saying young players need to show consistency to keep their chance. Former Villa striker Dion Dublin commended the teenager's composure, noting how quickly he recovered from missed opportunities to get back into scoring positions.

Villa are still pursuing a new striker, having been linked with Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, but Madjo's emergence gives Emery an extra option ahead of the Premier League opener against Brighton on 23 August. The club has already sold Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for a club-record £117m and Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, while defender Ezri Konsa's future remains uncertain amid reported interest from Arsenal.