Manchester United is on the brink of securing the signing of highly-rated young centre-back Leny Yoro from Lille. The 18-year-old defender has garnered attention across Europe, especially after an impressive 2023/24 season.
Yoro’s Rising Stock:
Leny Yoro is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most promising young defenders. Real Madrid has shown significant interest, but hesitated to meet Lille’s asking price of around £53 million. With Yoro’s contract expiring next year, Madrid had hoped to sign him on a free transfer next summer.
United’s Progress:
Last week, Manchester United had a bid accepted by Lille. Initially, Yoro was hesitant about moving to Old Trafford, preferring a transfer to Real Madrid. However, reports from David Ornstein of The Athletic now indicate that Yoro is ready to travel to England for a medical and to finalize personal terms with United.
Deal Status:
While the deal is not yet finalized and some details are still being worked out, United has made significant progress towards securing one of their top defensive targets. This marks a major step forward in their summer transfer plans.
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Additional Transfer Interests:
United is also interested in Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt and has had two bids rejected by Everton for Jarrad Branthwaite. While there is a possibility that United might sign two centre-backs this summer, further acquisitions will likely depend on the club’s ability to offload some current players.
INEOS Era:
Joshua Zirkzee, a Dutch striker, became the first signing of the INEOS era at United last week after joining from Bologna. Leny Yoro could soon follow, marking another significant addition to the squad under the new ownership.