Rio Ferdinand has appealed for Dan Ashworth to bring defensive starlet Leny Yoro to Manchester United.
Ferdinand, who has been closely monitoring the progress of William Saliba with France, believes that Yoro could be an ideal partner for the Arsenal man in the future. Despite a hefty £43million offer from Paris Saint-Germain reportedly being accepted by Lille back in May, Yoro remains with the French club, indicating that a switch to PSG is not yet a done deal.
On his Vibe with Five podcast, Ferdinand called for United’s new sporting director to swoop in for the 18-year-old, who has been part of Lille’s first team since 2022. He said: “I think Real Madrid are going to take Yoro instead [of William Saliba]. I would love him to come to Man United.
READ MORE: Man United already have Jadon Sancho transfer replacement Wayne Rooney loves
READ MORE: Man United sent clear message over possible Jadon Sancho exit
“If you’re looking Leny Yoro, please accept and come to Man United, please. Man United, please, make the offer and please accept, because, this kid, I think his ceiling is as high as anybody right now, including Saliba.”
When asked about comparisons to Saliba, Ferdinand said: “Physically, he’s not as developed or formidable, but he’s a different kind of central defender. He’s quick, he tries to nibble to get in front, he can play, he’s long, tall, and mobile.”
Last season saw Yoro make 44 appearances for Lille, scoring three goals and playing a key role in the team that eliminated Aston Villa from the Europa Conference League via penalties.
Yoro’s situation at his current club is becoming increasingly precarious as he has enters the final year of his contract. If Bruno Genesio’s team wants to profit from his departure, this summer presents the last opportunity.
With his contract set to expire at the end of next season, Yoro could leave Stade Pierre Mayroy on the cheap. Additionally, he’s eligible to discuss pre-contract terms with interested clubs six months prior to his contract’s conclusion.
The Athletic reports that Yoro is keen on a move to Real Madrid and join French players like Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Kylian Mbappe at the Bernabeu. Real reportedly do not wish to spend over £34m for Yoro’s transfer. Given his preference for Madrid, they might opt to wait until his contract expires to sign him on a free, mirroring their acquisition of Mbappe.
Try MUFC Pro NOW for free
Subscribe to our brilliant app for the best way to enjoy the M.E.N’s unrivalled Manchester United coverage.
- No adverts, pop-ups or distractions – just our brilliant content presented in the best way possible.
- Comprehensive, round-the-clock coverage of the Reds, with agenda-setting breaking news and insight from Samuel Luckhurst and our authoritative team of United writers
- Exclusive content for subscribers
- New interactive elements including (coming soon) quizzes to test your United knowledge.
Try MUFC Pro for a front-row seat to the action at absolutely no cost for the first month. You can get started by downloading our app here on iPhone, or here on Android. If you already have our app, click on the ”MUFC Pro’,’ Subscribe’ or ‘ Remove ads’ links.
*Free trial auto renews at £19.99 annually unless cancelled. T&C’s apply. Ad-free indicates that you will not be shown standard display ad formats with the articles that you read, selected articles may contain commercial messages/affiliate links where contractually required.