Manchester United legend Patrice Evra is acting as a ‘regular source’ of ‘advice’ for one first-team player under Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag this season.
Patrice Evra had a prolific playing career at Manchester United and is widely regarded as one of the best left-backs in the club’s history.
The 42-year-old Frenchman arrived at Old Trafford in the same transfer window as fellow United legend Nemanja Vidic, who was signed from Spartak Moscow in 2006.
Evra was snapped up from French side Monaco for a reported £5.5m deal, with former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson signing him in the January window.
United legend Sir Alex Ferguson was a big admirer of Evra, who endured a tough start to life at Old Trafford after his underwhelming debut against Manchester City.
However, Evra weathered the storm during his early career at United and went on to have a prolific spell at the Red Devils.
The former United left-back lifted five Premier League titles, a Champions League and three League Cups before he bowed out of Old Trafford in 2014.
Evra supports Man Utd talent
Patrice Evra has shared a special connection with Manchester United long after his playing career, with the Red Devils legend openly supporting the club.
The ex-United defender went on to play for Juventus, Marseille and West Ham after his Old Trafford spell before retiring from football in 2018.
Evra, who has sporadically appeared as a pundit after his time as a footballer, has now been offering support to Willy Kambwala in his United playing career.
Willy Kambwala emerged in the Red Devils first team this season and Erik ten Hag has called on the young defender amid the injuries he has faced.
The 19-year-old defender, who has received praise from Evra, has gained valuable senior playing experience after coming through the United youth academy.
Kambwala was brought to Old Trafford in 2020 from French side Sochaux, having previously been part of the youth set-up at Les Ulis and Elan Chevilly-Larue.
Les Ulis is the same team where Evra began his playing career at youth level, with Kambwala previously opening up about the United legend’s influence on him.
The Athletic’s Mark Critchley wrote: “If you already know that name, it is probably because of Club Omnisports Les Ulis, the local team that launched the careers of Thierry Henry, Anthony Martial and Patrice Evra.
“One of Kambwala’s representatives, Tshimen Buhanga, is a coach at Les Ulis and a close friend of Evra’s, and the former United left-back is a regular source of guidance and advice.”
Kambwala talks Man Utd legend Evra
Kambwala has impressed this season for United, including on his first Premier League start in a 2-0 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium last December.
But the United teenager has struggled at times and endured a tough first-half display against Bournemouth in the 2-2 draw at the Vitality Stadium last weekend.
Kambwala opened up about his time at the Les Ulis academy and his feelings after he saw Evra develop his career at the French side before moving to United.
Speaking to Manchester United’s official website in February, he said: “I was like, ‘Okay, if he [Evra] did it from here, I can do it as well.’
“We had a main building [at Les Ulis] with all the shirts on the wall and I was like, ‘Yeah, one day I want my shirt to be on this wall.’ So, it was really inspirational.
“Every coach over there was talking about [those players] because they had them when they were kids. It helps you to know what you have to do.”
