‘Leny Yoro will not be sold in January”. With these words, Lille President Olivier Létang ended one of the biggest transfer rumours of the winter transfer window for the time being. And it was massive news considering clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Paris Saint Germain were interested in acquiring his services.
We have already covered the rise of Leny Yoro. However, this season, he has taken his game to the next level. The 18-year-old has become an integral part of Lille’s defence and is slowly showcasing a glimpse of his immense talent.
This season, he has only played 766 minutes, far less than his teammates, but has still racked the third-most passes in the league. He is also the second-best player in the team in terms of aerials and clearances won. His defensive aero score is 74,1 according to data analytics site xvalue.
And this is exactly why clubs are fighting to add the Frenchman to their ranks.
So, which are the clubs where the Leny Yoro transfer saga will end?
Manchester United
It has been over a decade since Manchester United won a Premier League title. In these ten years, they have tried every manager and signed top star players but have only gone backward. The club have also been accused of signing too many players on costly contracts and are now struggling to replace them.
So, the club need a player like Yoro, who has the talent to be a mainstay in United’s defence. The Red Devils are the only club in the top ten of the Premier League who have a negative goal difference. So, strengthening the defence is the club’s top priority and Yoro appears to be an almost perfect fit.
Lille have conceded 14 goals in the league, the second-least in the league. This stat is more impressive because on the Expected Goals (xG) metric, their goals conceded rating is 19.6.
Real Madrid
In recent years, Real Madrid have transitioned, ditching their policy of signing Galacticos and instead signing young talented youngsters and turning them into stars. Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Federico Valverde, and Eder Militao are the perfect examples of this,
In that context, Leny Yoro looks like a match made in heaven. Real Madrid also saved a lot of money in recent years, allowing them to outbid their rivals should his signing result in a massive transfer battle.
With Nacho, Antonio Rudiger, and David Alaba all over 30 years, Los Blancos need a player who could partner Militao in the heart of the defence. Yoro will also have an advantage in that he can learn from a group of very experienced defenders who have won it all, which will make him more prepared when the time comes to take the mantle from them.
leny yoro is already one of the best defenders in the world. not only is he statistically the best (ground & aerial) dueller, he has the all-timer build *and* limbs to match it.
type of talent that filters straight through to real madrid. pic.twitter.com/AULM5vuYVk
— ✰ (@tyla7ii) January 3, 2024
Paris Saint Germain
As mentioned, Real Madrid have achieved massive success after implementing their new transfer strategy. And Paris Saint Germain are one club who are trying to emulate though less successful. In the last two seasons, they have brought in youngsters, which has decreased their average age to 25.2.
On top of that, PSG need a player who owls partner players such as Manuel Ugarte and Lucas Beraldo who could form the bedrock of the club;s defence in the future. With Danilo Periera already 32, they also need quality backups should anything happen to Marquinhos and Milan Skriniar.
Yoro could also be tempted by the offer to remain in his country and at the same time play for one of the best clubs in world football. A Leny Yoro transfer to PSG would also be beneficial for the player, considering that he was born and raised in Paris.
Borussia Dortmund
Leny Yoro is currently at a stage in his career where two or three years of uninterrupted development will make him a star. And when it comes to turning young prospects into world-class players, few clubs have a track record as good as Borussia Dortmund’s.
Die Schwarzgelben have become a destination for young players who want the best environment to take their game to the next level. Lenny Yoror’s transfer to Dortmund makes the most sense as he is still young and still has to get an entire season of senior football under his belt.
In fact, he is at the same level where a certain Jadon Sancho or Jude Bellingham were when they arrived at Signal Iduna Park which could tempt him to join their ranks.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has done a revolution at Liverpool this season, a feat few managers have achieved in football recently. The Reds are top of the table and look to be the only title challengers to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
However, Klopp is a manager who plans for the future, and with both Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip on the wrong side of their 30s, the Reds need a player who could become a partner to Ibrahima Konate.
Yoro will also benefit from learning from Van Dijk or Matip, who have massive experience in the Premier League and Champions League. On top of that, there is Klopp’s magical touch that has made many a career, and Yoro could be another one to join the list.