Leny Yoro, the highly sought-after French defender and Liverpool target, has reportedly turned down a move to Manchester United despite a substantial bid from the Red Devils.
Yoro dreams of playing for Real Madrid and keeps aiming for a move to Bernabéu this summer.
Man United wants to make their back line stronger and is looking at different players.
They are thinking about Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton and Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich.
Their hunt for Branthwaite hit a snag as Everton said no to two offers, but they have a deal set for De Ligt.
According to reports from France, United’s bid for Yoro has been accepted by Lille.
The offer, reportedly worth £60 million, surpasses Real Madrid’s initial bid.
Despite Lille being satisfied with the terms, Yoro remains unconvinced about moving to Old Trafford.
Marca reports that the 18-year-old is determined to secure a move to Santiago Bernabeu instead.
Yoro is seen as one of the top young stars in world football. He played his first game for Lille at 16 and has been in 60 games for them.
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With just a year left on his deal, this summer is Lille’s last chance to get a good price for him.
Former Lille manager Paulo Fonseca had predicted a major move for Yoro within 12 months.
Last season, Fonseca predicted a bright future for Yoro, stating,
“I believe Leny will be at one of Europe’s top clubs within a year.
He started with us at 16. He is very ambitious yet disciplined.
He has matured significantly and possesses great quality.
He’s focused, eager to learn, and I have no doubt he will become one of the best central defenders in modern football.”
In contrast, Manchester United’s pursuit of De Ligt has been endorsed by Alan Shearer.
Alan Shearer, in an interview with Betfair, expressed his thoughts on De Ligt’s potential move to Manchester United, stating that
“De Ligt would be an excellent acquisition for the team. He is a very solid player.
Despite not currently being in the Dutch national team, he would be an excellent addition to United. I like him a lot and believe his style would fit well in the Premier League.”
Liverpool has long been aware of Yoro’s preference for Real Madrid.
It’s surprising that Manchester United either didn’t know or chose to believe they could compete with Los Blancos as a more appealing destination.
This outcome comes as no surprise.
Even if the move to Madrid falls through, the prospect of playing alongside and learning from Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool is far more enticing than being behind an aging Casemiro at United.
