Man United defender Willy Kambwala joins Villarreal in £9.9m deal - but include buy-back option for the academy graduate

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Villarreal will pay an initial £4.7m plus up to £5.2m in add-ons for the defender
Man United have a buy-back option for the next three years for the 19-year-old

By Chris Wheeler

Published: 10:42 BST, 15 July 2024 | Updated: 10:57 BST, 15 July 2024

Manchester United defender Willy Kambwala has joined Villarreal in a deal worth up to £9.9million.

The Spanish club will pay an initial £4.7m plus up to £5.2m in add-ons for Kambwala who has signed a five-year deal.

United have a buy-back option for the next three years and a sizeable share of any sell-on fee.

The 19-year-old had 11 months left on his contract at Old Trafford and refused terms to sign a new one.

United's decision reflects the club's policy of cashing in on academy graduates who are not going to be first-team regulars or are coming out of contract and could leave for nothing.

Manchester United have sold teenage defender Willy Kambwala to Villarreal for £9.9m

The 19-year-old made his last appearance for the club in the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in May

Kambwala signed from French club Sochaux in October 2020 and made 10 senior appearances under Erik ten Hag last season.

But United are looking to sign two new centre-backs this summer as they pursue Jarrad Branthwaite, Matthijs De Ligt and Leny Yoro, and have just given veteran Jonny Evans a new one-year contract.