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Leny Yoro: Position, transfer fee, style of play, stats & more

Manchester United have completed the signing of promising French central defender Leny Yoro from Ligue 1 club Lille.

After Erik ten Hag agreed a new contract as Man Utd manager, the Dutchman has set about strengthening his squad in the transfer market alongside the club's recruitment staff this summer, with Netherlands international striker Joshua Zirkzee arriving from Bologna in a £36.5m deal.

The Red Devils appear keen to add to their defensive options following the departure of Raphael Varane upon the expiry of his contract this summer, with 18-year-old prospect Yoro identified as a key transfer target.

Although Yoro is said to have been coveted by several top European clubs, namely Real Madrid and Liverpool, Man Utd have now won the race for his signature.

Here is everything you need to know about Man Utd's new signing Leny Yoro.

Man Utd

2024/25

Leny Yoro age, nationality & background

Leny Olivier Yoro is 18 years of age and was born on 13th November 2005.

Yoro was born in Saint-Maurice, a southeastern suburb of Paris, France.

Of Ivorian descent through his father, Yoro has been capped at various youth levels for France.

Leny Yoro transfer fee and contract

Transfer fee

Man Utd are reported to have agreed a £52m deal plus add-ons for the services of the coveted Yoro.

Contract and salary

18-year-old Yoro has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford with the option of a further 12 months. The details of his expected salary at Man Utd are yet to be confirmed.

What to expect from Leny Yoro

Height and build

Yoro stands at 6ft 3ins, and although he is slender in build largely due to his youth, he is a very powerful defender.

Preferred foot

Man Utd's anticipated new recruit is a right-footed centre-back who is very confident on the ball.

Style of play

Very much a modern centre-back, Yoro is both powerful defensively and assured in possession.

At 6ft 3ins, Yoro has the size to be dominant in aerial duels and also possesses the technical ability to play out from the back.

Yoro featured in a possession-dominant Lille team under Paulo Fonseca in Ligue 1 last season, with the Frenchman calm and composed with the ball at his feet.

An athletic player with impressive pace, Yoro is able to feature in a high defensive line and press attackers aggressively.

The youngster's ability to read the game is one of his key assets, with Yoro very accomplished at making interceptions and covering the backline as the last line of defence.

Stats

Leny Yoro Ligue 1 Stats 2023/24

Metric

Total

Ligue 1 rank

Passes completed

1,727

6th

Own half passes completed

1,335

3rd

Aerial duel success rate

67.86%

5th

Ball retention rate

92.19%

21st

Offside trap successful

26

2nd

(Stats source: Sky Sports)

Similar players to Leny Yoro

  • Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad)
  • Stefan de Vrij (Inter)
  • William Saliba (Arsenal)

(Source: FBref.com based on similar statistical profiles across Top 5 Leagues in past year)

Career so far

Previous clubs

Coming through the youth ranks at Lille, Yoro made his senior debut for the club aged 16 in a 3-1 win over Nice in Ligue 1 on 14th May 2022.

The defender became Lille's second youngest ever player behind Joe Henry, overtaking Eden Hazard in this particular regard.

Yoro became integrated into Lille's first team in the 2022/23 season, making 19 appearances in all competitions.

His real breakthrough came in the 2023/24 campaign, with Yoro making 32 appearances in Ligue 1 and scoring two goals.

International caps

A France youth international at U17s, U18,s U19s and U21s level, Yoro was named in Thierry Henry's provisional national squad for the Paris Olympics this summer before he was omitted due to Lille's participation in Champions League qualifying.

What he could bring to Man Utd

Following the departure of Raphael Varane on a free transfer and the lingering uncertainty surrounding the futures of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, the centre-back position has been a key focus of Manchester United's summer recruitment plans.

Argentina international Lisandro Martinez, signed by Erik ten Hag from Ajax in the summer of 2022, appears the Red Devils' number one centre-back at present.

A left-footed defender who is relatively small for a centre-back a 5ft 9ins, Martinez could benefit from a right-footed defensive partner with the size and stature of Yoro.

Regarded as one of the most talented young centre-backs in Europe, the acquisition of Yoro appears to represent a look to the future from Man Utd's new part-owners INEOS, with suggestions the Red Devils are likely to add to their defensive options further in the weeks ahead.

Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite has been strongly moved with a move to Old Trafford this summer, as has Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, who played under Man Utd manager Ten Hag previously at Ajax.

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