Willy Kambwala vowed he would one day play for Manchester United after being in attendance for one of the club’s most humbling defeats, it has been claimed.
Kambwala made his first-ever appearance for United on Saturday, starting in the club’s lunchtime kick-off against West Ham amid a spate of injuries to senior centre-backs.
The 19-year-old, who was on the bench for the Old Trafford club against Liverpool a week earlier, joined United from Ligue 2 side Sochaux in 2020 for a deal worth in the region of £3.5million
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His first appearance for the club is the actualisation of a promise Kambwala is said to have made when he was just a schoolboy.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Kambwala was among a group of French teenagers from Les Ulis, a semi-professional team 24 kilometres south-west of Paris, to visit Old Trafford for the club’s 2017/18 encounter with West Brom.
United were on somewhat of a high going into the game, after delaying Manchester City's title win with a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory at the Etihad the previous week.
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A buoyant United needed to claim three points to extend City’s wait a little longer. West Brom, meanwhile, were destined for relegation.
Naturally, the Old Trafford club lost 1-0.
However, that day Kambwala reportedly told a team-mate that one day he would return to play for United.
Two years later he signed for United, and five and a half years after that he made his Premier League debut for them against West Ham.
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Before the West Ham game, Erik ten Hag was full of praise for Kambwala while also acknowledging his inexperience.
Speaking to TNT Sports the Dutchman said: “He's calm, he's made a good impression in training.
"Of course he's inexperienced and this is a big moment for him. He's athletic, calm on the ball, he has his opportunity now.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty/Les Ulis via InstagramTopics: Football, Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, West Ham United