As Manchester United approach the climax of the campaign, manager Erik ten Hag has been dealt something of a selection headache following a spate of injuries in recent weeks.
The centre-back ranks, in particular, appear rather depleted amid the loss of both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez during the first-leg, Europa League clash at home to Sevilla, with the latter man having subsequently been ruled out for the season.
That has left the Red Devils with Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire as the only senior options at the heart of the defence, albeit with Luke Shaw slotting in effortlessly in that makeshift role once again during Sunday's FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Despite the full-back having "played brilliantly" at Wembley, as per his manager, the lack of genuine options at centre-back will still be of concern to Ten Hag, with the Dutchman having already reportedly taken action by promoting promising teenager, Willy Kambwala, to first-team training in recent days.
Who is Willy Kambwala?
The 18-year-old has been highly regarded by those at Old Trafford since signing from Sochaux back in the summer of 2020, with United forking out a rather hefty sum of around £3.6m to bring him to England.
Speaking at the time, Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst noted that it was a real "transfer coup" for the Red Devils to have been able to sign the teen sensation, having arrived in the same summer in which the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Marc Jurado were also snapped up from the continent.
While injuries woes have hampered the youngster in recent times – having been restricted to just six appearances across all fronts this term – the £1.4k-per-week ace has still made an impact when he has featured, having been hailed as "impressive" by MEN's Steven Railston in the draw with Arsenal at Premier League 2 level last month.
The exciting Frenchman was also noted for his 'Olympian speed' and 'perceptive passing' by Luckhurst amid his early days in Manchester, with it easy to see why he has already caught the eye of Ten Hag and his staff.
The hope will be that young Kambwala – who stands at an impressive 6 foot 4 – could prove a long-term heir to compatriot Raphael Varane in the backline, with the latter man potentially approaching the climax of his career having only recently turned 30.
While there may still be ample time for the former Real Madrid man to continue to perform for the Red Devils, the 6 foot 3 ace's continued injury woes will be of concern to Ten Hag, hence the need to find a suitable replacement in the years to come.
Rather than splashing the cash to find a successor to the "world-class defender" – as hailed by pundit Paul Robinson – the former Ajax boss could look instead to give Kambwala a chance to impress, with Varane's current injury absence an ideal opportunity for the youngster to stake his claim.
Much like the World Cup winner – who has been described as a "leader" by Ten Hag – the teenager is also something of a commanding figure in defence, with former coach Tshimen Buhanga referring to him as 'Captain' such is his dominance.
That ability to lead and marshall a defence bodes well for the impact that Kambwala could make in the first-team, with United seemingly having a ready-made Varane successor who is just waiting to be unleashed.
