July 19th 2024.
Former Arsenal star Thierry Henry and new Manchester United acquisition Leny Yoro have been making headlines recently. The highly-rated 18-year-old defender completed a staggering £58m transfer to Old Trafford on Thursday, turning down interest from the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool in favor of joining the Premier League giants.
Yoro, who was named in the Ligue 1 team of the season for 2023-24, has signed a five-year contract with United, with the option for another 12 months. He has already caught the eye of Premier League legend Henry, who worked with him during their time together in the France U21 squad. In fact, Henry even handed Yoro his debut when he was just 17 years old.
Back in March, Henry spoke highly of Yoro's potential, saying, "We often talk about Leny. He is having an exemplary start to his career. To establish himself in Lille as he is doing... He always has some young reactions, and that is completely normal. It comes slowly, you make mistakes and sometimes you get embarrassed. But he goes on to play one match after another, he starts quite often, and quite often is good. It's really good for him."
Henry continued to praise Yoro, highlighting his professionalism, intelligence, and positive progression. He also mentioned that there is always room for improvement, but he believes Yoro is on the right track to become a top-class defender.
Yoro's signing makes him Manchester United's second summer acquisition, after Joshua Zirkzee joined from Bologna. United's sporting director, Dan Ashworth, expressed his excitement over Yoro's potential, saying, "Leny is one of the most exciting young defenders in world football; he possesses every attribute needed to develop into a top-class centre-back."
Yoro himself is thrilled to join a club of United's stature and ambition at such an early stage in his career. He was impressed by the club's clear plan for his development and their care for him and his family. He also mentioned the history of young players at United and believes it is the perfect place for him to reach his potential and achieve his ambitions.
Yoro is expected to compete for a starting spot alongside Lisandro Martinez next season, as United look to fill the void left by the departure of Raphael Varane. Meanwhile, his former club Arsenal will be keeping an eye on his progress, as they continue their search for talented players to add to their squad.
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