Leny Yoro Faced Ban Threat Before Manchester United Transfer

According to reports, Lille threatened Leny Yoro with a year on the sidelines if he did not sign for Manchester United. 

Manchester United have secured the teenage defender in a transfer deal worth over £50 million. With Yoro’s contract nearing its end, French club Lille was eager to sell despite the player’s preference for a move to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid were also interested but planned to sign Yoro as a free agent in a year, which Lille wanted to avoid. To push Yoro towards the Premier League, Spanish outlet Marca reports that Lille threatened to bench him for an entire season if he refused the move.

Real Madrid had previously offered around £30 million, which Lille rejected, aiming for a higher price for a player who was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year last season and has significant potential.

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Leny Yoro Expresses Excitement 

Yoro’s move to Manchester United marks their second signing of the summer following Joshua Zirkzee. With defensive issues plaguing United last season, Yoro’s arrival is expected to bolster their backline and improve their performance. Despite initially leaning towards Real Madrid, Yoro appears enthusiastic about joining Manchester United.

Speaking about joining the Red Devils, he 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.”

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 team-mates. I cannot wait to get started.”