Manchester United include buyback clause as first-team defender sold for €11.5m

Manchester United have confirmed Willy Kambwala has left the club and joined Villarreal on a permanent transfer in a deal worth €11.5 million.

It is understood United will receive an initial €5.5m fixed fee for the French defender with a potential €6m in performance related add-ons.

United have also included a buyback option for three years and a ‘sizeable’ sell-on clause in the deal. Kambwala only had one-year left on his Old Trafford deal and had rejected a new contract.

The sale of Kambwala is another important step in the right direction from United as they look to cash in on some academy assets in order to help with their financial situation. As he was an academy graduate, the sale will be recognised purely as profit on the club’s books.

United are looking to adopt a more decisive approach when it comes to selling homegrown players and are eager to identify the right moment to sell players when it becomes clear they will not become a first-team regular or when they are unwilling to sign a new contract.

The 19-year-old made 10 senior appearances during his time at Old Trafford, having joined the club in October 2020 from French Ligue 2 club Sochaux. Kambwala was plagued by injury at youth level but made a positive contribution at first-team level last season amid United’s defensive injury crisis.

Kambwala made his debut in the festive defeat to West Ham last December and impressed in the 2-2 home draw with Liverpool in early April. His last United appearance came in the home defeat to Arsenal in May and he was a substitute for the FA Cup final win over Man City.