Leny Yoro’s first words as a Manchester United player following his £52m Lille transfer

Leny Yoro has uttered his first words as a Manchester United player following confirmation of his £52 million transfer from Lille on Thursday evening.

After a 2023/24 season in which they conceded over eighty goals across all competitions and finished eighth in the Premier League, Erik ten Hag and his team have been actively seeking centre-back reinforcements.

Manchester United made a bold move for highly-rated 18-year-old defender Leny Yoro, who had been on the verge of joining Real Madrid.

Read More: When will Leny Yoro make his Manchester United debut? Realistic pre-season details

Breaking news on Wednesday morning confirmed that United persuaded Yoro to fly to Manchester for his medical and agree to a five-year contract extending until 2029, with an option for an additional year.

Yoro completed his medical and signed the contract papers for his £52 million transfer on Thursday afternoon, and the club confirmed his full transfer on Thursday at 8pm UK time.

Speaking for the first time as a United player, Yoro said: “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.” 

Dan Ashworth also had his input, telling club media: “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. Having had such an excellent start to his career, we are excited to support him in reaching his immense potential here at Manchester United.

“This club has a fantastic record of developing young players, whether homegrown or brought in from elsewhere, and giving them the required guidance, time and patience to grow and flourish. Under Erik ten Hag and our excellent staff we will ensure that Leny has the perfect platform to achieve the success that everyone across the club is aiming for.”

We all wish Leny Yoro the best as a new Manchester United player. He is expected to fly with the squad to the USA next week on their pre-season tour, where the club will face Arsenal, Real Betis, and Liverpool.

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