Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Lille defender Leny Yoro – but what can fans expect from the highly-rated French centre-back who was also wanted by Real Madrid?
United have made signing a centre-back their number-one priority in the transfer window this summer and have explored deals for both Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt.
The club were also keen on a deal for 18-year-old Yoro and have now seen a €50m (£42.2m) bid accepted by Lille, with the Frenchman expected to travel to Old Trafford to complete a medical and finalise a contract.
It would mark the second summer signing of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first transfer window following the arrival of Joshua Zirkzee, and there is plenty of reason for fans to get excited about their potential new arrival.
Who is Leny Yoro?
Joining Lille’s youth system in 2017, Yoro made his first-team debut in May 2022, becoming the second-youngest player in the league’s history to do so and surpassing former Lille academy graduate Eden Hazard in the process.
The centre-back went on to make 13 appearances the following season having impressed then new manager Paulo Fonseca in pre-season training.
Last season, however, saw Yoro transform into a crucial cog in Lille’s defensive unit, starting the joint-most games of any outfield player as Fonseca’s side qualified for the Champions League.
Such performances saw the defender scouted by several top clubs, including United, Real and Liverpool, while also earning himself a call-up to Thierry Henry’s France squad for the ParisOlympics.
But it looks like United have won the race having outbid Madrid for the talented youngster, after Liverpool pulled out earlier in the summer.
Why do Manchester United want to sign him?
Despite his age and youthful appearance, Yoro’s calmness and maturity beyond his years is was initially caught Fonseca’s eye and what has seen him develop into one of Europe’s most exciting talents.
‘For me, players don’t have age if they have talent. In some cases, like with Leny, it was so easy to understand that he would be important to the team,’ the Portuguese coach told The Athletic earlier this year.
‘In all my years as a coach, I’ve never seen such a young player with so much maturity. He has so much class. So much elegance. He’s a beautiful player.’
Blessed with an imposing six foot three inch frame, the 18-year-old also has a great turn of pace and uses his natural physical advantages to help him step up out of defence and make interceptions or track opposition attackers before engaging in a duel.
Yoro has, understandably, not yet fully bulked out into his frame but has made great strides in improving his physicality in duels, boasting the best aerial-duel success rate (67.86 per cent) of any Lille player last season.
Technically proficient, too, the right-footed defender is comfortable on the ball and had an impressive 92.2% pass success rate last season but ranks lower in terms of defence-splitting progressive passes when compared to other Ligue 1 centre-backs last campaign.
Comparisons have been made with Arsenal’s William Saliba, in part due to his nationality and similarly long frame, but his defensive style perhaps more closely resembles that of Virgil van Dijk due to his reading of the game and high success rate when choosing to intervene.
How would he suit Erik ten Hag’s style of play?
Normally lining up on the right side of Lille’s defence, Yoro would likely slot into a similar role under Erik ten Hag, with both Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez comfortable playing on the left side.
In Fonseca’s Lille team, the teenager also often played as the last, covering defender due to his pace and could replicate a similar role in the Dutchman’s side.
Ten Hag’s defence was porous last season when he tried to move his side away from a counter-attacking style to a higher defensive line, but Yoro’s presence at the back could greatly aid that transition.
He may, however, require a bit of time adapt to the increased physicality of the Premier League and a potential partnership with 5ft 9in Martinez could prove a bit too lightweight.
United will likely manage Yoro’s minutes, especially if they bring in yet another centre-back and he could well be sent back out on loan like the aforementioned Saliba to continue his development away from the immediate pressures of Old Trafford.
However, given the departure of Raphael Varane, injury record of Maguire and Martinez and age of Jonny Evans, it would appear likely that Yoro would at least start the season with his new club and, given his impressive career trajectory so far, there is no reason to suggest he could not hit the ground running immediately.
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