How Good is Leny Yoro, the Young Star Who Cost Man Utd €62 Million?

Leny Yoro is set to surprise Manchester United fans as the French defender becomes the club’s new signing in the summer of 2024. The news of Man Utd acquiring Leny Yoro for €62 million has only emerged in the last 24 hours. Previously, Man Utd fans had no idea their beloved club was pursuing this French center-back.

Who is Leny Yoro?

Leny Yoro was born on November 13, 2005, in Saint-Maurice, France. His father is from the Ivory Coast. Leny Yoro joined Lille’s youth academy in 2017 at the age of 12. In 2022, he debuted for Lille’s reserve team and signed his first professional contract at just 16.

Leny Yoro made his first-team debut for Lille on May 14, 2022, at the age of 16. At that time, he surpassed Eden Hazard to become the second-youngest player to debut for Lille.

In the following season, Leny Yoro played 13 matches in Ligue 1 and left a strong impression. The departure of Fonte at the end of the 2022/23 season left a gap in Lille’s defense, and Yoro filled this void.

In the 2023/24 season, Yoro appeared in 32 matches for Lille, playing a crucial role in helping the team finish fourth in Ligue 1 and secure a spot in the Champions League qualifiers. Yoro helped Lille achieve the third-best defense in the league, conceding only 34 goals. With his excellent performances, Yoro was included in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season.

Standing at 1.90 meters tall, Leny Yoro excels in aerial duels. Additionally, this defender is very skillful and scored a volley against Rennes in September last year, becoming the youngest player to score for Lille in Ligue 1 in the past decade.

Paulo Fonseca, who coached Yoro at Lille, admitted: “It is unusual for an 18-year-old like Leny to have such maturity and technical skills. For me, Yoro will become one of the best center-backs in France and possibly in Europe. He is very versatile. Without a doubt, Leny Yoro will be a great player.”

Meanwhile, Jean-Michel Vandamme, the director of Lille’s academy, emphasized Leny Yoro’s ability to read the game and follow tactical instructions. “Leny is a quick learner. He wants to improve and is genuinely interested in analyzing different situations,” said Jean-Michel Vandamme. “When the coach and assistants give advice, Leny listens, absorbs, and applies it. The same goes for when he receives advice from teammates,” he added.

Leny Yoro also stands out for his ball-handling skills and his ability to initiate attacks from defense. The French center-back possesses the skill to evade pressing by dribbling. According to statistics, Leny Yoro is the only U23 defender in the top 5 European leagues last season with a success rate of over 60% in aerial duels and ground duels, while his pass completion rate exceeds 90%.

Leny Yoro has only played for France’s U17, U18, U19, and U21 teams. He has yet to make an appearance for the senior national team.

Can Leny Yoro Shine at Man Utd?

In France, Leny Yoro has been compared to top defenders like Raphael Varane and William Saliba. The similarity between Yoro and Saliba lies in their proactive involvement in attacking and scoring. Saliba has scored 5 goals and provided 2 assists for Arsenal in the past two seasons.

“At Marseille, I know Boubacar Kamara, at Saint-Etienne, I know William Saliba and Wesley Fofana, and now there’s Yoro,” shared Lille midfielder Remy Cabella. Cabella remarked about Yoro: “He has all the qualities and potential to achieve great things. Leny is very humble, and that is one of his strengths.”

However, Man Utd spending over €60 million on an 18-year-old player has raised concerns. It’s worth noting that Leny Yoro’s contract with Lille was set to expire next summer. The defender had refused to extend his contract as he sought new challenges.

According to The Athletic, several European clubs, including Real Madrid, were interested in Yoro. However, Man Utd moved quickly to secure Yoro. Coach Erik ten Hag’s team is targeting young potential players in the transfer market to build a squad for the future. Therefore, they have spent heavily to acquire Yoro.

Upon joining Man Utd, Yoro will have significant responsibilities. Fellow countryman Raphael Varane left Man Utd this summer. Yoro may be paired with Lisandro Martinez in defense by coach Erik ten Hag. However, the Dutch coach might also allow the new French signing to gradually adapt to the team and give Harry Maguire opportunities in the early matches of the season. Regardless, the Dutch coach needs to find the optimal center-back pairing to improve Man Utd’s defense.

Compared to Ligue 1, the Premier League is much tougher. It is not an exaggeration to say that the 18-year-old defender faces a significant challenge ahead.