Chelsea and Man Utd told chances of late swoop for French Van Dijk

Tom Weber

• Updated: 27 Jan 2024 18:44 GMT
• 3 min read

Ligue 1 side Lille have reaffirmed their stance that Leny Yoro is not for sale this month.

The French defender is one of Europe's most sought-after commodities after impressing for Lille this season, becoming a regular starter for the club at just 17 years of age. Now 18, Yoro has been heavily courted by Europe's elite this month, but so far his Ligue 1 side have held firm.

Indeed, rumours that PSG had made an offer for the youngster, who has been likened to Virgil van Dijk and William Saliba, were quickly dismissed as "fake news" by Lille president Olivier Letang earlier this week. “He will not leave in January, so there are no negotiations, no discussions contrary to what some suggest,” he told Le Parisien.

The news that PSG had not yet managed to beat the competition to the punch gave hope to Yoro's other suitors such as Man Utd and Chelsea, who have been heavily linked with a move for the wonderkid in recent months.

However, the chances of them landing the youngster in January are just as slim, as has now been reiterated by head coach Paulo Fonseca.

What did Fonseca say?

Speaking ahead of his side's Ligue 1 clash with Montpellier, Fonseca said of Yoro: “The first thing we have to reinforce is that he understands the situation. He knows he’s staying here. He is young but very mature."

"I watch his behaviour in training. He has the same attitude as when he started the season. It’s the same player. It’s not easy when a young player starts to attract the interest of the best clubs. But he remains calm, focused on our team."

"This week, I had a great conversation with Leny. We talked about the situation. I told him what I thought about it. And he understood that he had to stay here and only think about Lille.”