Manchester United are waiting on one former defender to finish a move to Italy before they can cash in. Willy Kambwala is set to join Como from Villarreal, and the deal may yet feed money back into United's summer plans through the clause package they built into his exit in 2024.
United's exit terms on Kambwala
The key point is the structure of the sale, not just the destination. United inserted a sell-on clause, a buy-back option and matching rights for three years when Kambwala left for Villarreal, and that bundle is now starting to matter.
Villarreal paid €5.5 million upfront, with a further €6m in add-ons when Kambwala left in 2024. If he does complete the move to Como, United stand to benefit again from the way they negotiated that departure.
Como and the late-window budget
Como are not exactly offering United a gamble on a struggling team. They have won 4 of their last 5 league matches, finished 4th in Serie A in 2025, and look well placed for a club that can turn a former Premier League youngster into a fee movement rather than a dead end.
Michael Carrick has already framed United's thinking around the rest of the window: "I just think we're looking to strengthen the squad," he said. "We're certainly working towards that, making the most of the situation that we have and trying to improve things and trying to move forward. You know, I said the same thing to you last time. So, yeah, certainly trying to make the most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it. And I think we're a good way to doing that, so far."
That is the sort of line a club wants to hear in late August, especially when a sell-on clause is close to paying back on a player who left barely a year ago. The old exit from Old Trafford has become part of the current budget conversation, and United's planning has been built with that kind of recycling in mind.
The only caveat is timing. Goal.com reported that Kambwala is set to join Como, not that the move is already officially complete, so United are still waiting for the last step before any cash is confirmed.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
