Why Leny is looking the part

One of the very few positives from the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur was the performance of Leny Yoro.

It’s easy to forget the classy centre-back is still a teenager until mid-November and the signs were there during his maiden campaign as a Manchester United player that he has sky-high potential, which is why most of the world’s leading clubs were alerted to his emergence at Lille.

After the delight at winning the race for his signature, there was a false start in terms of the Frenchman’s United career, as he cruelly suffered a foot injury during the tour game against Arsenal in Los Angeles.

By working hard on his rehabilitation, Leny was finally ready to make his Premier League bow in early December.

Five great Leny Yoro moments Video

Five great Leny Yoro moments

Leny Yoro is a player with promise and here are five great moments from his debut season…

Coincidentally, that competitive debut also came against the Gunners and there were glimpses even then of his talent, as I watched on from the Emirates Stadium press box.

Some of his most eye-catching output came during the Europa League run, including netting his first goal for the club, in his homeland, away to Lyon in the quarter-final. He also stood out as we progressed past Athletic Club at the last-four stage, providing a fine assist to Mason Mount’s maiden strike at Old Trafford.

Yet it is clearly his defensive work that demands the most attention. He seems to fit perfectly into the three-man system deployed by Ruben Amorim and oozes confidence while carrying the ball forward, while his pace is vital in terms of covering the ground to snuff out danger. 

There have been shows of bravery too and the sort of desire you want to see in a centre-half.

After being hurt in the home game against West Ham United, Yoro had to prove his fitness in order to play in Bilbao against Spurs. So it was a sign of his importance to the side that he started and performed well throughout, showing absolutely no nerves on the big stage.

Following the final, he missed the last-day win over Aston Villa and also the post-season tour to Asia.

It was encouraging to see him report back for pre-season and even more uplifting to be able to watch him in action during a couple of the training sessions at Carrington. There, Leny looked a million dollars – lean, strong and oozing composure and confidence.

Every United supporter will be hoping he is able to enjoy a full pre-season this time around and continue on the trajectory of becoming a top-class defender. I’m willing to stick my neck out to say I think this will be a big season for the youngster, who is on the shortlist for the Golden Boy award. 

He’ll hopefully be in peak condition when we being our league programme next month, again coming up against Arsenal. But, first, it’s Leeds United in Stockholm on Saturday, when we’ll get a look at the Reds putting into practice what they have been working on at Carrington. There is real competition for places in the backline and Leny will, no doubt, be determined to showcase his quality from the outset.

The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.

Watch our pre-season friendly against Leeds United live on MUTV.

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