Manchester United has signed Leny Yoro, one of the summer transfer window’s biggest names.
The 18-year-old centre back flew to England for his physical on Wednesday morning as United finalised a £52 million agreement, with £42 million guaranteed and £10 million in add-ons, with the transfer set to be completed on Thursday evening.
Yoro is regarded as one of the best players in his position in his generation, and United has made a statement with his signing.
Mail Sport reports on the boy who has sparked interest across Europe.
+10View gallery
WHO IS HE?
Yoro, like many elite French sportsmen, was born in a Parisian suburb in 2005 before moving to Lille with his Ivory Coast-born family when he was six years old.
Yoro joined Lille’s academy at the age of 12 and quickly rose through the ranks of the Ligue 1 club.
An NBA devotee, the boy grew up idolizing athletes who would soon become household names, such was his rise.
International prominence at the young level came fast, and he was capped for France at both the U17 and U18 levels.
+10View gallery
Yoro is regarded as a modest, humble individual who has been a pleasure to coach since joining at Lille.
Lille’s senior debut occurred on the final day of the 2021-22 season, when they faced Nice.
He became the second-youngest player in Lille history when he made his debut at the age of 16 years, six months, and a day, surpassing club legend Eden Hazard.
A season later, under Paulo Fonseca’s direction, he won 15 appearances in all competitions, including 10 starts.
By the age of 18, he had played 60 first-team games for Lille, nine of which were in the Europa Conference League.
Last season, when it became clear Lille would be unable to keep him for much longer, he played more minutes than any other outfield player at the club.
His selection for the Ligue 1 squad of the year came as no surprise.
+10View gallery
Yoro (right) ascended up the ranks at Lille quickly and showed no fear facing Lionel Messi (left)
WAS HE IN DEMAND?
Hugely.
We may call this a scramble, with Manchester United beating out Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool to sign Yoro.
Lille was delighted with the prospect of a bidding war, even if the player was reportedly interested in joining European champions Real Madrid.
Yoro’s dilemma was that Real Madrid apparently balked at Lille’s appraisal of the player and were only willing to spend £25 million (€30 million) to land him, which was far lower than Man United’s bid.
+10View gallery
Real Madrid was Yoro’s preferred landing spot but they failed to match Man United’s proposal
+10View gallery
Liverpool have been credited with interest as Arne Slot prepares for his first season in command.
For a moment, it appeared that Yoro was keen to hold out for Real Madrid, but according to a Spanish report, Lille threatened not to play Yoro in the final year of his contract if he did not accept United’s offer.
According to Marca, the teenager was presented with a difficult decision because his desire to transfer to Madrid remained despite offers from other big European clubs.
They also alleged that Yoro’s decision was influenced by a warning from his club that he would be shelved for the remaining year of his contract, after they had agreed on a lucrative deal for their academy graduate.
Yoro was also a big target for Liverpool, but United moved quickly to sign him.
Regardless of the internal issues at Lille, Yoro represents a significant coup for United, having moved faster than the rest of his admirers.
What is his playing style?
Yoro, at 6ft3′, has adequate size to compete with Europe’s greatest strikers.
When asked to play as the last defender at Lille, the right-footed centre back has looked at ease and has demonstrated good recovery speed in behind.
One of his strongest talents has been his ability to prevent opponents from turning him and breaking free, but he is not inconsistent when it comes to gaining the ball back.
Observers in France have praised his understanding of the game and ability to grab the ball from opponents. Otherwise, he has had success compelling opponents to make blunders.
Where he differs from someone like Lisandro Martinez, a potential centre back partner at United, is that he is not an aggressive dueller and can instead drop and capitalize on opportunities.
Yoro’s technique is undeniably good, but he will only get stronger, and with the increased physicality in English football, having a more front-footed centre back partner should complement his own development.
+10View gallery
Yoro has looked comfortable when acting as the last defender, or covering defender, for Lille
+10View gallery
His quality at such a young age means he has been given assignments like Kylian Mbappe
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID?
Yoro has got a solid base around him that can keep him grounded amid an avalanche of praise that continues to come his way.
‘It’s not normal to have an 18-year-old player like Leny with this maturity and the technical qualities he has,’ Paulo Fonseca, his former Lille boss, said.
‘For me, he will be one of the best central defenders in France and probably in Europe. He is very balanced and there is no doubt that he will become a very great player.’
Lille knew when he joined the first team that he would not remain long in France due to his exceptional talent.
Jean-Michel Vandamme, the director of Lille’s training center, has spoken highly of his progress in recent years.
‘He had an accelerated learning process because he only spent two years in the training centre,’ Vandamme told reporters.
‘Leny has the ability to learn quickly. He wants to do it and has a real interest in analysing different situations, understanding them, while putting controlled pressure on himself.’
His team-mates, too, have been blown away by the maturity of the young defender’s game.
‘In Marseille, I knew Boubacar Kamara, in Saint-Etienne, William Saliba and Wesley Fofana, and now there is Leny Yoro ,’ Rémy Cabella said last year.
+10View gallery
His former Lille boss Paulo Fonseca (left) feels Yoro is one of the best defenders in Europe
+10View gallery
One of the most common compliments handed to Yoro is that he is mature beyond his years
‘He has all the qualities and the potential to do something huge. He is very humble and that is another of his strengths.’
Former Man United academy starlet Angel Gomes, who is now at Lille, told Eurosport when asked about Yoro’s ability: ‘As soon as he arrived in the group, I understood that he was going to reach the top.
‘When I discovered the pros at the age of 16 at Manchester United, I understood that it was different. He already had the right temperament and that’s not normal for a 16 or 17-year-old player who arrives. It’s as if he was already an experienced player. And it showed in his way of training, his way of behaving. His progression was obvious.’
Thierry Henry, who is presently coaching Yoro ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris, typically avoids singling out players for praise, but not in this case.
‘He is making an exemplary start to his career,’ Henry said last season.
‘To impose himself at Lille as he is doing… He always has some moments of [being] a youngster, and that is quite normal. It comes slowly, you make mistakes and sometimes you take hits.
‘He is playing match after match and he is quite often a starter and quite often good. It is really good for him.’