OFFICIAL: Man Utd complete Leny Yoro transfer

Tom Weber

• Updated: 18 Jul 2024 20:03 BST
• 4 min read

Breaking

Manchester United have officially completed the signing of Leny Yoro.

The French youngster has become the Red Devils' second summer arrival after Joshua Zirkzee joined from Bologna for €42.5 million. Man Utd's summer business was slow to get going, but now they have landed a major coup.

Last week, the Manchester giants launched a surprise bid for Yoro, which was swiftly accepted by Lille. The Ligue 1 side had been keen to sell due to the player's expiring contract and were ready to bite Man Utd's hands off after Real Madrid had tried to lowball them.

READ MORE: What Man Utd fans can expect from Leny Yoro

Los Blancos were unwilling to break the bank, knowing that Yoro was keen on the move, but they likely didn't expect Man Utd to offer a whopping €62 million upfront and €8m in add-ons, a fee they were unwilling to match following the signing of Kylian Mbappe.

The 18-year-old will reportedly earn a higher salary than the more senior recruit Zirkzee, with Yoro penning a contract until 2029, with the option for a further year.

Yoro said: “Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour.

“Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project, and showed a lot of care for me and my family.

“I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I cannot wait to get started.”

Man Utd sign generational talent

Club chiefs at Man Utd will be reluctant to admit it, but they probably did not expect to secure the signature of Yoro even after Lille accepted their offer.

For all intents and purposes, the France youth international looked destined for a move to Real Madrid, with his heart firmly set on a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu. However, the reluctance of Florentino Perez and company to yield to Lille's demands ultimately pushed him to Man Utd.

Real Madrid had been courting the centre-back since late 2023, with club scouts deeming Yoro a 'generational talent' and, in the words of Fabrizio Romano, the 'Kylian Mbappe of centre-backs.'

READ MORE: Winners and losers of Leny Yoro's transfer to Man Utd

Man Utd have got themselves an eminently talented defender, who is a bit of a throwback. Yoro is not a modern centre-back. He is not particularly impressive in possession, but his defensive nous, calmness and football IQ are outstanding for a player his age.

The Red Devils remain keen on adding a second centre-back this summer and had simultaneously been working on a deal to sign Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich. However, talks are on hold for the time being as they will first need to raise more funds from sales.