Former Manchester United defender Willy Kambwala is set to join Italian club Como on loan from Villarreal, with the deal potentially earning his former club a financial return.
Como, managed by former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, have reached a verbal agreement with Villarreal for the 21-year-old centre-back.
Kambwala is expected to move to the Serie A club on an initial season-long loan, with Como holding an option to make the transfer permanent for €10m. The purchase clause is not mandatory.
The DR Congo international has already given his approval to the move and is expected to complete the transfer after agreeing personal terms.
The move could also benefit Manchester United, who inserted a sell-on clause when Kambwala left Old Trafford for Villarreal in 2024.
United would therefore be entitled to a percentage of any future transfer fee if Como decide to activate the €10m option and sign the defender permanently.
Kambwala joined Villarreal from Manchester United in the summer of 2024 after spending his formative years at the English club.
Since moving to Spain, he has made 23 appearances for Villarreal across all competitions, gaining experience in La Liga after leaving the Premier League.
His proposed move to Como would represent another step in his development, with the Italian club preparing for European football under Fàbregas.
Como have emerged as an ambitious club under the former Spain international, and Kambwala’s arrival would add another option to their defensive ranks.
The defender’s immediate future now appears to lie in Italy, with the initial loan allowing him to compete for regular playing time while Como retain the option of signing him permanently.
For Manchester United, the deal provides an opportunity to maintain a financial connection with a player who left the club more than two years ago.
Should Como decide to make the transfer permanent at the end of the loan, United’s sell-on agreement would be activated and provide the English club with a percentage of the resulting fee.
Kambwala joined Manchester United as a highly rated young defender before making his first-team breakthrough. His departure for Villarreal in 2024 brought an end to his spell at Old Trafford, but the sell-on provision means United have continued interest in his career.
The centre-back is now set to begin a new chapter in Italy, where he will work under Fàbregas and compete for a place in a Como side with European ambitions.
The agreement between Como and Villarreal remains subject to the completion of the formal transfer process.
If completed, Kambwala will initially spend the season in Italy on loan, with Como having the choice to turn the move into a permanent €10m transfer.
For the Congolese defender, the move offers a fresh opportunity to establish himself away from Villarreal. For Manchester United, it could provide an unexpected financial reward from a player who left the club in 2024.
