“This helped me also”: Yoro identifies unexpected upside to early setback he suffered at United

Manchester United defender Leny Yoro has identified a silver lining from a setback he suffered during his start at the club. Major coup United pulled off a major coup when they signed Yoro from Lille in the summer of 2024. United forked out around £52m to secure his services. Yoro put pen to paper on a five-year contract. Yoro, who made his Lille debut at the age of 16, had been strongly linked with a transfer to the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool. However, United warded off stiff competition from these suitors to land him. But he endured a tough start to life at United, sustaining an injury during a pre-season clash against Arsenal in the United States. Yoro picked up a metatarsal injury, which would later require surgery. He was forced to wait until December to make his United debut. He has since cemented his status as a key first-team player, notably starting all of United’s last six games under interim head coach Michael Carrick. While it’s clear that Yoro still has plenty to learn before he can be considered the complete article, his potential is undeniable and the sky is the limit for him. The Frenchman spoke to club media and shared an optimistic take despite the early injury. Yoro’s remarks Yoro revealed that he was keen on becoming a winger while coming through the youth ranks, but his height saw him pushed to a defensive role, which he eventually embraced. The 20-year-old said, “I was really tall when I was young. So for them [Yoro’s youth teams] it was better for me to play at the back.” “I tried to fight to play winger and striker for a long time, but they just told me to go back. I don’t think [if] I was [a] winger, I would be here at [United], so it was good for me to play at centre-back.” Looking at the positives from his injury, he explained, “A couple of times, I think, ‘There are good things in this injury.’ Like you say, to settle, to understand the level, how big United is.” “I had time to think about this and to get used to it, so this helped me also, yeah.” Yoro and his teammates are next in action on Saturday when they go away to Chelsea. Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!