Enzo Kana-Biyik had an opportunity to catch up with his former teammates when Manchester United played Lausanne Sport in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Carrington last week.
United signed Kana-Biyik on a free transfer last summer and immediately sent him on loan to Ineos-owned Lausanne, where he spent the season developing his craft in Switzerland's top-flight. Because Kana-Biyik joined Lausanne on loan immediately after signing his United contract in Manchester, most Reds fans won't know much about the young French striker, but that should change this season.
Staying in Manchester
The Manchester Evening News revealed in August that Kana-Biyik was set to stay with the academy for 2026/2027, with staff deciding against sending him on loan again. United believed it would be best for Kana-Biyik's development to spend a season adapting to English football, and the academy building at Carrington was a safer bet than sending him down the football league.
It wouldn't have been fair to send Kana-Biyik to League Two, for example. He spoke little English when he first arrived last summer - he knows more now having had lessons - and wouldn't have fared well in a cut-throat dressing room. This season he will feature for the Under-21s and receive first-team exposure in training sessions. The international break also provided an opportunity for him to make an appearance for the 'first-team' in the friendly against Lausanne.
The majority of United's senior players were away on international duty when the behind-closed-doors game was played, giving several young players a chance to impress Michael Carrick and his staff.
Time in Switzerland
Kana-Biyik's time in Switzerland will stand him in good stead, but he could have played more with Lausanne, having made 26 appearances, six of which were starts, a record that was partly explained by his absence at the beginning of the campaign due to a knee injury suffered in pre-season. He was available again by the end of August 2025, but the injury meant he missed each of Lausanne's UEFA Conference League qualifiers, which were played earlier that month, as well as some in July.
Kana-Biyik was mostly limited to substitute appearances, but his only two goal contributions (a goal against FC Sion and an assist against Fiorentina in Europe) came when he was given the nod to start.
"It's beautiful, it feels good. I feel a bit liberated," Kana-Biyik told Swiss outlet Blick after his goal against Sion. "It was the first thing that came to mind [showing the name on his shirt as he celebrated]. The most important thing was to celebrate with my teammates and the fans."
The assist against Fiorentina was also impressive. Kana-Biyik weaved his way down the left wing, beat his man and picked out the only unmarked Lausanne player at the back post with a perfectly weighted cross. There were equal signs of greenness and promise, though, resulting in the youngster being predominantly used from the bench in the second half of the campaign as Lausanne fought to maintain their top-flight status.
First signs in a United shirt
The first sight of Kana-Biyik in a United shirt came over the summer when he played for the U21s in a pre-season friendly against Altrincham at Moss Lane. He came on at half-time to play on the left wing, but was replaced after spending 30 minutes on the pitch as the squad was rotated. There were a few glimpses of quality from Kana-Biyik during that cameo. His acceleration and natural speed caught the eye, and United sources admitted after that game they had been pleased with what they'd seen from the forward since he'd returned from his Lausanne loan.
Kana-Biyik played as a striker during his time in Le Havre's academy, where United signed him from, but he has all the tools to play on the wing, so don't be surprised if he features in that role more often. The fact that he was educated at Le Havre means he's been well prepared for a successful career, given that renowned academy has produced the likes of Dimitri Payet and Paul Pogba, who also joined United as a teenager from the French club.
It helps that Kana-Biyik is from good stock as well - he is the son of former Cameroon international Andre Kana-Biyik - who competed at two World Cups for his nation, and played in France's top-flight.
Path to the first team
Kana-Biyik probably would have made his Ligue 1 debut by now if he'd stayed at Le Havre, given he was named on their first-team bench twice when he was just 17, but he declined the chance to sign professional terms. That opened the door for United to agree a deal to sign Kana-Biyik, who they were permitted to sign last summer, as he'd already turned 18 (English clubs cannot sign U18s from Europe due to Brexit rules).
Before Brexit, United had huge success signing players from abroad once they turned 16, but the new rules have led to fewer signings of European teenagers, as players are usually tied down by the time they turn 18. United still operate in the European market when opportunities arise, and the club was proactive in wrapping up the signing of Kana-Biyik, who had come on their radar when it became clear he would not sign with Le Havre.
Kana-Biyik now has the challenge of pushing for a senior debut. United signed him because they believed he possessed first-team potential, but the worst-case scenario is that he fails to make the grade and is sold for a profit. Regardless of what Kana-Biyik's future holds, it will be worth keeping an eye on him this season.
