Following his stellar 2023-24 season with Lyon, Leny Yoro was on the radar of every major European club. As his contract was set to expire in the summer of 2025, he seemed like a perfect fit for Real Madrid’s free transfer strategy. However, Manchester United and INEOS made a decisive move, knowing that luring Yoro to Old Trafford would require a substantial transfer fee and salary. They offered a whopping £52million fee and a five-year deal starting at £150,000 for the then-18-year-old defender.
Yoro’s start at United was marred by a pre-season injury and less-than-impressive early performances under Ruben Amorim. However, the now 19-year-old defender is showing signs of being an INEOS masterstroke. His recent performances have been consistently good, particularly in the 4-1 victory over Athletic Club in the Europa League semi-final second leg at Old Trafford.
Despite being outpaced by Southampton’s Kamaldeen Sulemana back in January, Yoro has proven that his defensive approach relies more on game-reading skills, timely interventions, and intelligent ball distribution rather than raw speed. This skill set reminds many of previous United centre-halves, and it’s no surprise that Yoro has been seeking their advice.
“I speak a lot with the coach and I’ve spoken to Rio (Ferdinand) and not always in front of the cameras,” Yoro revealed. “Sometimes, they just give me advice. When a player like Rio can give you advice, then you need to take it.”
The young French defender seems to be getting a boost from the comparisons to Manchester United legend Ferdinand.
He added: “Of course I come to Man United to achieve big things, to win trophies. So, when you see players like Rio Ferdinand, (Nemanja) Vidic and (Raphael) Varane, you want to achieve the same things as them, you want to stay in the memory of fans and be a big defender.
“When they compare me to them it’s a real honour, I’m proud of this.”
Despite rumours from Spain about a potential move to Real Madrid, Yoro appears fully committed to the challenge at Manchester United.
He continued: “It was difficult for me in the beginning with the injury and even with my performances on the pitch when I first returned but now I’m 100 percent, I am starting to be good and I hope to be like that until the end of the season and into next season. I feel confident.”
With the Europa League final against Tottenham on the horizon, Yoro is clearly eager to begin his trophy collection with United.
He emphatically stated: “This is a club of trophies. When you play for Manchester United you need to feel this. We are Manchester United and we need to win trophies.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk