BREAKING NEWS: Manchester United confirm the acquisition of a £45m player, with a medical appointment scheduled for today. A 5-year contract has been signed. Welcome to Old Trafford!
Leny Yoro undergoing Manchester United medical ahead of signing five-year contract
Leny Yoro undergoing Manchester United medical ahead of signing five-year contract
David Ornstein
By David Ornstein
Lille centre-back Leny Yoro is undergoing a medical at Manchester United ahead of signing a five-year contract, with the option of an additional year, at the Premier League club.
The 18-year-old decided on Tuesday night to join United in a transfer with a maximum valuation of €70million, which includes add-ons.
An agreement between the clubs on an initial €62m (£52m; $67.9m) fee was reached last week — however Yoro still needed to accept the switch at that stage.
His original preference was to join Real Madrid but they have so far shown no indication of paying the price that United and Lille settled on.
That led the Ligue 1 side to strongly favour a deal with United for Yoro, who they would rather sell this summer than risk losing him as a free agent when his existing contract expires in June 2025.
The teenage France youth international has warmed to the idea of moving to Old Trafford and the latest developments are a major step forward in the situation, but there is still work to be done.
If all goes to plan, United will secure their primary target to bolster in defence and a player regarded across the game as being a generational talent.
go-deeper
GO DEEPER
Leny Yoro, 18, the defender lots of Europe’s biggest clubs are pursuing
The Premier League team maintain their admiration for options such as Matthijs de Ligt of Bayern Munich and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, although a further arrival is likely to depend on departures to create finance and squad space.
Other interested parties including Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool have been pursuing Yoro’s services, though his initial choice of Real Madrid appeared to have made this a one-horse race.
Regardless, United persisted and while the door has remained ajar they applied intensive efforts to lure him to the north west of England. Barring a late and unexpected turn of events, that mission is now close to coming to fruition.
Yoro similarities to Van Dijk
Analysis by tactics writer Anantaajith Raghuraman
Yoro is a throwback defender in some respects, due to his tendency to operate as the last man in Lille’s defence.
While he stays deeper, Yoro is agile and reads danger well, akin to Liverpool’s centre-back and captain Virgil van Dijk.
Given his age and the areas he typically occupies on the pitch, it is not surprising that Yoro tends to err on the side of caution with both his passing and ball carrying.
The advantage he brings is that he has the qualities needed to step into the starting XI but can also be developed for a season before becoming a full-time first-choice.
(Franco Arland/Getty Images)
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