Johan Manzambi saw first hand how good Aston Villa were last season and is now playing a crucial part in Unai Emery's rebuild in this campaign.
Switzerland midfielder Manzambi, who turned 21 on Wednesday, scored his third goal in Villa colours with the winner in a 1-0 victory over Newcastle - the club he turned down before moving to Villa Park in the summer.
Manzambi played a crucial role in helping Freiburg reach the Europa League final, before the Germans were comprehensively beaten by a Villa side that scored three times in the opening hour on their way to a 3-0 success.
Asked why he had joined Villa, Manzambi said: "The team was very good and I played against them in the final. It's a very good team with a big coach and that was perfect for me."
For Newcastle fans it was one that had got away, as Manzambi had looked set for a move to St James' Park before opting to join Villa in a club record deal of just over £50m.
Manzambi headed in the winner in the north east on Saturday, unmarked eight yards out when found by Joao Gomes' excellent cross.
It comes after he also found the back of the net in the 3-2 win at Tottenham and in the 6-0 thrashing of Fenerbahce in the Champions League.
"He has made a very good impact with his qualities," said a delighted Emery. "Skills and intelligence, both he has, and his physicality is very important as well to help us defensively and to help us try to keep the duels offensively.
"So happy he has scored another goal, fantastic for him."
Among players in the Bundesliga in his position last season, Manzambi ranked first for progressive carries of 10 metres or more (116), shot-ending carries (13) and fouls won (78).
He then impressed in the World Cup, scoring twice in the 4-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, getting a goal and an assist in the 2-1 victory over co-hosts Canada and also registering an assist in the 2-0 success over Algeria.
Unfortunately for Manzambi and Switzerland, a knee injury ruled him out of the last-16 penalty shootout win over Colombia and their quarter-final loss to Argentina.
So impressive were his performances last season, that Manzambi finds himself on a 10-man list for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the world's best player aged under 21.
Also on the shortlist are Spain World Cup winners Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, along with Yan Diomande - whose performances earned him a move to Real Madrid, with the winner named on 26 October.
Since his first start for Aston Villa on 19 September against Spurs, only Manchester City's Erling Haaland - with six - has been involved in more goals among Premier League players in all competitions than Manzambi's five (three goals, two assists).
Team-mate Nicolas Jackson, another to join Villa in the transfer window in a deal worth up to £65m from Chelsea, was quick to praise the youngster.
"He's an amazing player," said Jackson. "He's still growing. Hopefully he can be better and better every game, score goals and assist me as well. Hopefully we work together and achieve many things together.
"He will go a long way and hopefully gets no injuries."
Jackson has scored five times for Villa since his move and said he was lucky to avoid a serious injury when he was caught in the first half by Newcastle's Sven Botman, who was only shown a yellow card despite an over-the-ball challenge.
"I know the referee said yellow card but it was so high and hopefully maybe next time a red card, but it was a yellow," said Jackson. "I nearly broke my leg but anyway it's part of football. The most important thing is we win and we won, so I'm OK."
Villa entertain Norwegian side Viking in their third Champions League match of the season on Wednesday before hosting a Manchester City side that have won all seven of their Premier League matches this season.
"It was very important after our poor start [to the season] that we needed to try to come back feeling confident, feeling comfortable in how we are building our structure," added Emery.
"The players themselves tried to be demanding to change the situation where we are.
"Through the [Premier] league we are going to achieve our priority this year, so the league is the competition where we must try to be very consistent."
With seven points from their past three league matches, Villa are a side on the rise again.