New Delhi, Jul 15 (IANS): Manchester United defender Willy Kambwala has agreed to join Villarreal on a five-year deal which will keep him at the club till 2029. The defender departs Old Trafford after making 10 first-team appearances.
"@Willy_Kams has completed a permanent move to Villarreal. We are immensely proud of Willy’s values as a player and a person, and he leaves with our very best wishes," Manchester United posted on Instagram.
Kambwala joined the Manchester United in October 2020 from French Ligue 2 club Sochaux, and played his first game clad in Red for the Under-18s, during an impressive win over Derby County. Injury issues plagued him during the following season, 2021/22, but Willy continued to impress when he made it onto the pitch.
"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... 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," Kambwala said in an Instagram post.
After a successful 2022/23 campaign, he was selected in the first-team matchday squad for the very first time in December as United fought to a 0-0 draw at Anfield. Less than a week later, aged 19, he made his senior debut, starting alongside Jonny Evans away at West Ham.
It was the first in a series of opportunities for the centre-back, perhaps the most notable of which was a start in the 2-2 Premier League draw with Liverpool in early April. In a frantic match that threatened to reach the crazy heights of the famous FA Cup quarterfinal against the same opponents just weeks before, Kambwala delivered a performance of huge personality and grit.
His final performance of the season came in the league match with Arsenal in May, and he was selected as one of the substitutes in the memorable Emirates FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City. .