Manchester United defender Leny Yoro has revealed his ambition is to “win titles” at Old Trafford and remain at the club for a long time despite persistent links with a move to Real Madrid.
Yoro, 19, joined the Red Devils last summer in a £59 million deal – £52.2m initial fee with £6.8m in add-ons – from LOSC Lille after an impressive season in Ligue 1.
Widely considered a ‘generational’ talent in defence, the French starlet was being tracked by every major European club with Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool both making advances to sign the centre-back.
But it was Real Madrid who were believed to be frontrunners for Yoro with Los Blancos eyeing a bargain deal for the defender as his contract with Lille only had twelve months remaining.
The Liga giant were prepared to play hardball as a result, calculating that the French club would capitulate on their asking price – worth around £60 million – rather than risk losing their academy star for nothing next summer.
However, United exploited this situation to move quickly and decisively for Yoro with INEOS intent on making the 19-year-old a statement signing in their first transfer window at the helm at Old Trafford. A £59 million deal was struck, far beyond what Madrid were willing to pay for a defender, and he arrived in Manchester in July.
However, disaster struck in Yoro’s second pre-season match against Arsenal after he suffered a metatarsal injury which required surgery. This would rule him out for over three months and he only made his full debut in a Red shirt in December – ironically, at the Emirates against the Gunners.
Despite United targeting Yoro when Erik ten Hag was manager, who was replaced by Ruben Amorim in November, the Portuguese coach is believed to be a huge fan of the 19-year-old defender.
Yoro firmly established himself in United’s best eleven and was one of the standout performers, amid a sea of underperformance, as the club’s dismal season drew to a close.
He is expected to form the backbone of Amorim’s revolution at Old Trafford moving forward, along with talismanic captain Bruno Fernanes and 22-year-old winger Amad.
Reports have continued to link Yoro with Madrid, however, who are believed to not have given up hope of a deal with the defender said to have “regrets” on missing out on a move to the Santiago Bernabeu. But the centre-back’s response in a recent interview suggests the Spanish side should begin looking elsewhere.
Speaking in an interview with YouTube channel Rising Ballers, Yoro was asked what his five-year plan was for the future. “I hope I will stay here for sure in Manchester. I [hope] I can say I won some titles,” he replied.
Previously, Yoro’s mother has revealed he always “dreamed” of playing at Old Trafford, further reinforcing his commitment to the club and dispelling ideas of an unlikely exit due to ‘regrets’ over his move.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
