Manchester United completed the signing of 18-year-old center-back Leny Yoro on Thursday after agreeing to pay Lille a reported €62 million.
The deal could reach €70 million if certain bonuses are achieved, according to BBC Sport’s Simon Stone.
Yoro, who also drew significant interest from Real Madrid, inked a five-year contract with the Red Devils with an option for an additional season.
“Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honor,” Yoro said in a statement.
The signing comes days after United unveiled Joshua Zirkzee as their latest attacking addition and brings the club’s spending above the €100-million mark in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first summer as co-owner.
Madrid only offered €30 million for Yoro, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein and Guillermo Rai, because the player’s contract with the French side was set to expire in a year’s time. Lille reportedly rejected the bid as out of line for a player they had previously valued at €100 million and pushed him to accept United or potentially face a season on the sidelines.
United clearly managed to persuade Yoro.
“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,” he added.
“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 teammates. I cannot wait to get started.”
Yoro’s arrival doesn’t necessarily preclude adding another defensive reinforcement. Ornstein and Rai highlight Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as potential options. Everton are reportedly demanding at least £70 million for Branthwaite.
United sporting director Dan Ashworth said Yoro “possesses every attribute needed to develop into a top-class center-back” and asserted that the club “has a fantastic record of developing young players … and giving them the required guidance, time, and patience to grow and flourish.”
Yoro is a right-footed central defender who prefers to hang back and cover for teammates. He’s started 38 of 46 top-flight matches since making his debut as a 16-year-old for Lille in May 2022.
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