Man Utd in advanced talks over £8.5m sale as defender rejects contract extension

Villarreal are in advanced talks to sign Manchester United defender Willy Kambwala for a fee in the region of £8.5million. 

 The former France youth international has made 10 appearances for United's first-team since joining the club from Sochaux back in 2020. Kambwala's Old Trafford deal is due to run until the summer of 2025 and while United looked into extending his stay, the 19-year-old is understood to have rebuffed an offer to extend his contract.  Now Spanish outfit Villarreal look ready to pounce and the two clubs continue discussions over a transfer which could also include a sell-on clause for United.  The teenager made his United debut in December 2023 when he started in a 2-0 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium. Kambwala was then cast back into first-team action in April amid a defensive crisis when he starred in a 2-2 draw against rivals Liverpool.

He won 100 per cent of his duels and quickly won over the hearts of United supporters with his passion, commitment, tackles and aerial prowess.  However, with United now planning to bring in at least two central defenders in the summer transfer window, it's clear Kambwala will be short of minutes moving forward.  The Red Devils have already made two unsuccessful bids for top target Jarrad Branthwaite while they also had an offer accepted for Lille's Yeny Loro. Loro is holding out for Real Madrid though and that has seen United switch attention to Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt.  Talks are progressing between the two clubs and the Dutchman wants to join international team-mate Joshua Zirkzee at Old Trafford following Holland's Euro 2024 exit.

United are continuing to clear the decks in a bid to raise extra cash for Erik ten Hag but one player who is no longer certain to leave is Jadon Sancho.  Sancho was frozen out of United's setup last season following a bust-up with Ten Hag before being loaned back to Borussia Dortmund.  And even though Sancho never apologised for the fallout, the pair are believed to have held crunch talks at Carrington earlier this week, mutually agreeing to draw a line under last season's episode.  Sancho is now back in training and United could opt to keep the winger, who is wanted by both Dortmund and Juventus, to bolster the numbers and quality in Ten Hag's squad.