A switch saga that threatened to rumble on deep into the switch window has come to a surprisingly fast conclusion.
Regardless of trying destined for Actual Madrid, Lille wonderkid Leny Yoro has opted to signal for Manchester United as a substitute, finishing a £52m switch and signing a long-term contract at Outdated Trafford.
{The teenager}, who was additionally linked with rivals Liverpool, loved an incredible breakout season in France throughout 2023/24, leaving United followers excited by the prospect of certainly one of Europe’s most promising abilities turning out at Outdated Trafford within the coming years..
However what do supporters must find out about younger Yoro?
Let’s check out him in nearer element…
Yoro had all the time been marked as one to look at. The 6’3 centre-back signed his first skilled contract with Lille firstly of 2022, making his debut for the French facet just some months later throughout a 3-1 win over Good. Donning the Lille jersey at simply 16 years of age, he leapfrogged Eden Hazard to develop into the second-youngest debutant within the membership’s historical past.
Yoro’s rise to the first-team squad was spectacular, however he wasn’t instantly thrown in on the deep finish. He performed solely 15 instances through the 2022/23 season, ten of which had been begins, and it shortly turned clear that the child was just a bit bit particular.
Showcasing distinctive maturity for a young person, Yoro was then an everyday for Lille final time period.
Whereas Yoro had made a lot of appearances for the senior workforce already, 2023/24 was when he really emerged. Enjoying in 32 and beginning 30 of Lille’s 34 Ligue 1 matches, the starlet shortly established himself a reliable member of a inflexible defence.
Beneath supervisor Paulo Fonseca, who has since joined AC Milan, Lille loved a terrific marketing campaign wherein they completed fourth and certified for the Champions League qualifying rounds. Their success was largely constructed on a sturdy backline, with solely two sides conceding fewer objectives (34). A type of was champions Paris Saint-Germain (33).
In matches wherein Yoro performed 60 minutes or extra in Ligue 1 final time period, Lille stored a powerful 13 clear sheets, whereas the 18-year-old’s tall body helped him bag two objectives within the French high flight.
Yoro additionally obtained some worthwhile European expertise within the Convention League. He performed seven instances within the competitors correct as Lille reached the quarter-finals, dropping to Aston Villa on penalties.
Yoro has loads of time to earn vital minutes for France’s senior squad – regardless of their array of high quality centre-back choices – however he’s but to earn a first-team cap. Nonetheless, he has performed usually for Les Bleus’ youth groups, together with 4 appearances for the Beneath-21 facet.
Yoro was initially known as up for the 2024 Olympics by Thierry Henry, however was denied the chance to signify his nation in Paris attributable to Lille’s commitments in Champions League qualifying.
Tune in to 90min’s YouTube channel as Scott Saunders will get the knowledgeable lowdown on Leny Yoro from French soccer journalist Quentin Gesp.
To play as an elite centre-back within the Premier League, a defender have to be succesful with the ball at his ft. That is the place Yoro shines brightest, boasting an unimaginable passing vary and glorious accuracy.
Out of all Ligue 1 centre-backs final time period, the wonderkid ranked within the high 5 per cent for go accuracy (92.1%) and high two per cent for brief go completion (95.6%). He was dispossessed on common simply 0.03 instances per 90 minutes, highlighting his press resistance.
Regardless of his construct, Yoro can be deceptively fast. His lengthy strides assist him cowl floor simply and he boasts glorious anticipation when predicting opposition assaults. This in-game intelligence means he would not want to interact in bodily duels as usually as his teammates.
Assume extra Rio Ferdinand than Nemanja Vidic.
Yoro remains to be simply 18 years of age, leaving him loads of room to enhance sooner or later. Nonetheless, heading into the cut-throat Premier League, the Frenchman might must work on his defensive tussles.
In Ligue 1 final season, he ranked within the backside 25% of centre-backs for tackles per match, averaging lower than one deal with gained. Evaluate his deal with gained proportion (54.8%) to a different United goal in Jarrad Branthwaite (72.6%) and it is clear he might want to adapt to English soccer.
Within the fashionable market, signing one of many world’s most fun younger defenders for £52m will not be unhealthy enterprise, particularly when you think about how poorly United have spent their cash in earlier home windows. Yoro’s potential is big and he may effectively blossom into top-of-the-line inside the subsequent 4 or 5 years.
Nonetheless, signing such a younger participant with comparatively little expertise is all the time a bet. Contemplating his contract with Lille was set to run out subsequent summer time, £52m remains to be a really massive charge, and one which was splashed to beat Actual Madrid within the race for his signature.
