Manchester United have confirmed the £52million signing of 18-year-old French star Leny Yoro from Lille.
United’s offer of £42m plus £10m in add-ons for the defender was accepted last week, but there were concerns that Yoro’s preference was to join Real Madrid.
However, United have moved swiftly to get the deal done and are finalising personal terms over a five-year contract with the option of a 12-month extension.
Yoro, who made 41 appearances for Lille last season, has also attracted interest from Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.
The centre back, described as a generational talent, flew in to Manchester for a medical on Wednesday. He had been waiting on Madrid to match United’s bid, but Lille pushed the defender to join the Red Devils with the Champions League winners unwilling to pay the fee.
Man United have completed the £52m signing of highly-rated Lille defender Leny Yoro, 18
The club announced their latest signing on Thursday evening on the heels of the player’s medical on Wednesday
The deal represents a huge coup for Erik ten Hag’s side as United beat Liverpool to the deal
He was Liverpool‘s prime target, too, but the Reds are understood to have been convinced he only wanted to 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 will saw Lille push to get United’s deal over the line sooner rather than later.
The announcement from Man United came on Thursday evening and is subject to registration, but Yoro has signed a contract which will keep him at Old Trafford until 2029.
‘Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour,’ Yoro said upon completion of the deal. ‘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.’
He becomes United’s second signing of the summer after Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee moved to Old Trafford for £36.5m.
The Manchester club showed off their latest signing with a photoshoot in front of a photo of the city
Centre-back and centre-forward were United’s priority…