- Yoro had been waiting for an offer from Real Madrid but is now set to sign for United.
- Liverpool had considered the defender as their main target in this transfer window.
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Leny Yoro will fly to England to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms over a transfer to Manchester United worth up to £52m.
Lille accepted United’s offer of £42m plus £10m in add-ons for the 18-year-old French centre-back last week but there were concerns Yoro’s preference was to join Real Madrid.
However, United have been quick to complete the deal and hope to sign him on a five-year contract with an option to extend for a further 12 months. Yoro, who made 41 appearances for Lille last season, was also attracting interest from Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.
He will become United’s second signing of the summer after Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee left for Old Trafford for £36.5m. Centre-back and centre-forward were United’s priority positions in this transfer window, so new co-owners Ineos and manager Erik ten Hag will be keen to wrap up both deals so early in pre-season after appointing Dan Ashworth as sporting director.
United are interested in signing a second centre-back, having held talks with Bayern Munich for £42m-rated Matthijs de Ligt and having had two bids of up to £50m for Jarrad Branthwaite rejected by Everton. However, it is understood that could be dependent on raising additional funds through player sales.
Leny Yoro travels to the United Kingdom to complete the medical examination at Manchester United and agree personal terms
The defender had been waiting for an offer from Real Madrid but is now ready to join Erik ten Hag’s side.
Veteran defender Jonny Evans has been offered a new one-year contract but Raphael Varane and Willy Kambwala have left Old Trafford and another spot could open up if Victor Lindelof moves to Fenerbahce.
Mason Greenwood is also on the verge of leaving the club to join Marseille in a deal worth around £30million.
United will also look to bolster their squad with the signing of a full-back and a defensive midfielder, although the latter could be dependent on Casemiro or Scott McTominay leaving the club this summer.
Yoro had been waiting for Madrid to match United’s offer but Lille put pressure on the defender to join the Red Devils as the Champions League winners were unwilling to pay the fee.
He was also Liverpool’s main target, but the Reds are believed to have been convinced he only wanted a move to Spain.
Madrid were believed to be more interested in waiting to recruit the 18-year-old next summer, when he would have become a free agent, which in turn saw Lille push to get the deal done with United sooner rather than later.
Considered a generational talent, Yoro made his debut for Lille’s reserve team in 2022, signing his first professional contract with the club in January of that year.
Yoro has made 55 appearances for Lille since making his debut for the team at the age of 16.
Madrid had expressed their willingness to pay the £52m fee that United have agreed with the club.
His professional debut came in May 2022 at the age of 16, making him the second-youngest player to play for the club.
In total, he has made 55 appearances for the French club, scoring two goals and helping the club to fourth place in Ligue 1 last season.
He is also a youth international for France, and currently plays for the U-21 team, although he has also played at U-17, U-18 and U-19 levels.
