A day after officially announcing their first major buy of the summer transfer window (Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee), Manchester United have now announced their first major sale. Having rejected the offer of a new contract extension, central defender Willy Kambwala, 19, moves over to Villarreal on a €11.5m (£9.6m) deal.
However, there is still a chance that might be come back to the club and be a major part of the future.
? Willy Kambwala fought for his dream, and he lived it.
The defender joins Villarreal with nothing but our best wishes for the future ??#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2024
According to The Guardian, “United have retained a buy-back option for three years on Kambwala, who had a year remaining on his current deal, as well as a considerable share of any sell-on price.” Kambwala was not expected to see as much playing time as he did this past season.
He was only thrust into action, during the later part of the term, due to the massively cataclysmic injury crisis in central defense. However, he got a lot of valuable experience, and he parlayed that into a new role at a new club. Kambwala posted the following message, with a heart emoji at the end, on his Instagram account.
Thank you and good luck, #WillyKambwala ??#MUFC | #Kambwala pic.twitter.com/NZhBBQy0eV
— Manchester United Foundation (@MU_Foundation) July 15, 2024
“Dear #mufc,
I arrived at the club as a boy with a dream and today I’m leaving like a young man who has fulfilled his dream. From the academy to the first team, it’s time for me to start a new adventure after 4 wonderful seasons at the club. Thank you to all the people I have met during these 4 years. Coaches, my teammates, staff members, workers in Carrington and members of my host family. I’ll never forget what you all did for me.A special thank you to you fans who have always supported me, you are the soul of this club. I wish you the best for this season and for the future.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.