Who is Willy Kambwala? Young Manchester United defender named on bench vs Liverpool

French youngster Willy Kambwala has been with Manchester United for three years, making a name for himself in the youth teams.

In 2020, United signed him from Ligue 2 side Sochaux for around £3.5million when he was just 16. He was seen as a big signing for the future, but at 19 he's still yet to play for the first team.

After an injury, he's hoping to show what he can do this season. He's already had a taste of the senior squad, training with them during last season's injury crisis and has now been named in Erik ten Hag's squad for the Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield.

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Standing at 6ft4in, Kambwala is a strong defender with the technical skills needed for today's game. He was highly rated in France and was brought to United as part of their plan to bring in the best young talent.

When he was 16 he captained a France U17 team full of promising players. Kambwala is a strong defender, capable of passing the ball out from the back while offering a presence at corners and set pieces.

His speed, confidence with the ball and flair make him stand out among modern centre-backs. He could be a long-term solution for United's recent issues in this position.

You can follow today's clash with Liverpool and see if Kambwala makes his senior debut by watching our live blog which you can access by clicking here.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.