2 months ago
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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has already given a glowing review of new Manchester United signing Leny Yoro.
The teenage defender completed a £58m move to Old Trafford on Thursday after snubbing interest from Real Madrid to join the Premier League club.
Yoro, 18, is rated as one of the most talented prospects in Europe and also attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.
The ex-Lille defender, who was named in the Ligue 1 team of the season for 2023-24, has signed a five-year contract with Manchester United, with the option of another 12 months.
Premier League great Henry has worked with Yoro with the France U21 side and handed him his debut in September when he was just 17.
Discussing Yoro’s potential back in March, Henry said: ‘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. He is professional, he’s a good guy, well-educated.
‘I like him. He performs well. Afterwards, there are always things to refine, but that’s completely normal. Frankly, it’s really a more than positive progression.’
Yoro becomes Manchester United’s second summer signing following Joshua Zirkzee, who recently left Bologna to sign for the Red Devils.
‘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,’ United sporting director Dan Ashworth said.
Yoro, meanwhile, said of his move to Old Trafford: ‘Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour.
‘Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project, and showed a lot of care for me and my family.
‘I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I cannot wait to get started.’
Yoro will hope to start alongside Lisandro Martinez next season after Raphael Varane left Manchester United at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
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