Leny Yoro: Smart, fast and comfortable on the ball - Why Manchester United target has shades of a young Raphael Varane

Erik ten Hag said Manchester United's performance in their pre-season defeat to Rosenborg was "by far not good enough", so he is keen to improve his side before the start of the new season. Joshua Zirkzee was first through the door, and now defender Leny Yoro has followed him as United's second signing of the summer. Yoro, 18, has been likened to a young Raphael Varane.

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As the 2023/24 season came to an end, Old Trafford was shrouded in uncertainty.

Despite leading Manchester United to their first FA Cup triumph in eight years - at the satisfying expense of their rivals Manchester City - Erik ten Hag’s time in charge may have been coming to an end.

A worst ever finish of eighth in the Premier League seemed to have put the writing on the walls lining Sir Matt Busby Way for the Dutchman.

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However, all the speculation about the club’s new hierarchy wanting a change of manager was put to bed when Ten Hag’s contract extension was triggered to keep him until 2026.

With that small matter taken care of and clarity provided to players and fans alike, United have now moved to start building towards the new season.

A freshening of Ten Hag’s squad was always likely when Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial and Brandon Williams were thanked before being sent on their way at the end of their contracts.

Joshua Zirkzee was the first signing through the door - with the Dutch striker arriving from Bologna on a five-year deal for around £36.5m.

Joshua Zirkzee was Manchester United's first signing of the summer

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Zirkzee was not the new boy for long, though, with Leny Yoro arriving from Ligue 1 side Lille for a reported fee of £52 million.

Despite being just 18 years old, Yoro caught the eye of clubs including United and Real Madrid having made 60 first team appearances in France.

He was picked for Thierry Henry’s squad to compete at the Olympic Games, but Lille's scheduled appearance in UEFA Champions League qualification meant me pulled out of featuring in Paris.

To find out more about Yoro and how he might fair under the global spotlight of playing for Manchester United, we have been speaking to Raphael Brosse from the Eurosport France office.

Just how good is Yoro? Is this a case similar to Varane, Zouma and Saliba where they were ready for the top level? Is he ready for the Manchester United starting line up right now?

In my opinion, Yoro's case is pretty similar to Raphael Varane's one. In spite of his young age, he seems very mature and able to perform well at the highest level. Kurt Zouma and William Saliba, for instance, needed more time to match with the required level. Yoro has already played 60 games with Lille, which is a very competitive team in French Ligue 1.

What are his strengths? What areas of his game does he need to still work on?

First of all, Yoro is a smart player. On the pitch, he anticipates very well and knows how to position himself in order to intercept the ball. He is quite fast for a defender and really comfortable with the ball (a very important quality for Lille's former head coach, Paulo Fonseca). Moreover, he scored several goals thanks to his head play quality. Maybe he suffers a lack of aggression, but I'm sure that he'll improve himself during the tough Premier League battles.

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Is it a surprise to people in France that he is moving to Man Utd when he had been linked to Real Madrid for so long?

I can't tell that this transfer is a surprise in France. We're well aware that Premier League clubs have enough money to attract all the players they want. Moreover, he may have more chances to play for Manchester United than with Real Madrid. I suppose that playing time was a key point in his decision.

Is there another central defender you could compare him to?

That's a difficult question. In my mind, Varane is the most suitable comparison (even if Leny is more comfortable with the ball than Raphael was). Let's hope for him that he'll have a successful career too!

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