Man United are preparing for a transfer tug-of-war for French wonderkid

Manchester United is hoping to sign Lille wonderkid Leny Yoro, but rival Manchester City may stand in their way.

United have shown they are not afraid to spend big money on young players, spending more than £150 million on Antony and Rasmus Hojlund in the last two summer transfer windows. Yoro, a France under-21 star who is only 18 but has been a regular starter in Ligue 1 this season, could be up next.

Yoro, a central defender, made his league debut for Lille in 2022 at the age of 16. United aren’t the only potential suitors, with City’s recent defensive woes causing Pep Guardiola to reconsider his options.

Both English clubs, according to le10sport, have made a “very concrete move” to sign the teenager. Yoro’s current contract with Lille expires in 2025, and while Les Dogues will be keen to keep him, the situation may force them to consider offers.

After becoming the club’s second-youngest debutant, the defender is clearly highly regarded by those at Lille. Eden Hazard previously held that honor, though he was unable to break Joel Henry’s record as the youngest – set in the 1970s.

Lille already has one player on their books who could provide Yoro with insight into life at Manchester United. Angel Gomes, England’s under-21 midfielder, progressed through the ranks at Old Trafford, appearing five times in the Premier League before joining the French club in 2020.

The ties with Yoro come at a time when the defender’s compatriot Raphael Varane’s future is uncertain. Varane has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford, and former United star Patrice Evra questioned his absence due to injury in midweek, but manager Erik ten Hag insists there is no problem with the player.

“Absolutely not [any issue],” Ten Hag said after starting Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans ahead of Varane in recent weeks. “As I said, I chose these partnerships for tactical reasons.”

“I believe Harry and Jonny performed admirably. As I stated last year, Harry didn’t get much playing time, so I was very pleased with Rapha’s performances. His performance has always pleased me. But, at the moment, Harry is performing admirably, and there is internal competition.”

Varane, for one, is said to want to stay and fight for a place at Old Trafford. After turning down a summer exit, fellow defender Maguire was able to force his way back into the side, resulting in the current situation affecting the ex-Real Madrid man.