Man Utd sign Yoro from Lille for £52m

Manchester United have signed French defender Leny Yoro from Lille until 2029 in a deal worth €62m (£52.18m) with €8m (£6.73m) in add-ons.

The 18-year-old centre-back has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option of a further 12 months.

Yoro, who debuted for Lille aged 16, was linked with Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain, while Liverpool were also interested in him.

He played 32 times in the league last season and scored two goals as he helped Lille finish fourth and was named in the Ligue 1 team of the season.

“Signing for a club of Manchester United’s stature and ambition so early in my career is an incredible honor,” said Yoro.

“From my first conversations with the club, they have set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project, and have shown a lot of care for me and my family.

“I know the history of the young players at Manchester United and I feel this could be the perfect place to fulfill my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I can’t wait to get started.”

Yoro made 44 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 side, who reached the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League before being knocked out on penalties by Aston Villa.

Yoro’s arrival follows United’s recent signing of 23-year-old striker Joshua Zirkzee in a £36.5m deal from Italian side Bologna, and comes during a summer in which the club have been trying to sign a central defender.

“Leny is one of the most exciting young defenders in world football; he has all the attributes needed to become a world-class defender,” said United sporting director Dan Ashworth.

United made two bids to Everton for Jarrad Branthwaite, but both were rejected, and the Merseysiders value him at more than £75m.

Furthermore, United are negotiating with Bayern Munich to sign Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt.

Sources say that while the club remains interested in Branthwaite and De Ligt, they would not sign both and that further arrivals will likely depend on space in the squad and available funds.

Raphael Varane left the club at the end of the season and there are doubts over the future of Swede Victor Lindelof, whose contract expires next year.

Harry Maguire was the subject of bids from rival Premier League clubs last summer but chose to remain at Old Trafford and ended up making 22 Premier League appearances.

Do the signings show a different United? – Analysis

Simon Stone, Chief Football News Reporter

There are some familiar noises coming from Old Trafford following this transfer.

Yoro was linked to some big European clubs, including Real Madrid, and his quote in the statement accompanying his signing about United having a “clear plan” for his development and the “care” shown by the teenager and his family seemed one-off.

It is not uncommon for United – or anyone else – to emphasize the positive aspects of a new arrival.

But there is an underlying theme. In Raphael Varane – and more particularly Anthony Martial – United are replacing older, injury-prone and underperforming players with youngsters full of enthusiasm, energy and promise.

United’s new ownership structure wants the club to feel like this, a shedding of skin as part of the conviction that better times are ahead.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to deliver results, but there will always come a time when his new perspective will be tested. The faith placed in Yoro and Zirkzee is immense. It won’t be long before we find out whether faith is justified and whether this will be a different Kingdom, or just more of the same with different wrapping paper.