Liverpool cool down pursuit of Leny Yoro as his preferred destination is revealed
David Ornstein of The Athletic has revealed the club Lille’s teenage defender Leny Yoro would like to move to this summer.
In his column in The Transfer DealSheet, Ornstein has confirmed that Yoro would ideally like to move to Real Madrid despite Lille having made significant progress during talks with Man United, with Liverpool a reluctant pursuer in the race as well.
“Suitors including Liverpool backed off after being told of Yoro’s chosen destination — but United have persisted and, so long as the door is ajar, they will keep trying.”
The France U21 international, who is set to represent France at the upcoming Paris Olympics later this month, broke into the senior Lille setup midway through the 2021/22 season. He played a crucial role in Les Dogues earning a Champions League qualification spot for this season by finishing fourth in the Ligue 1 last season.
United have reportedly agreed terms with Lille for Yoro’s transfer to Old Trafford with a fee in the region of €50 million. The Red Devils, keen to replace Raphaël Varane and the recently departed academy graduate Willy Kambwala, are keen to reinforce the centre-back positions they struggled with last season. Lille, however, are waiting to hear from Madrid and any other last-minute bidder(s).
Yoro’s current contract at Lille fetches him €360k a year and is set to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Not the worst call
Liverpool’s transfer needs in the defensive department are not as desperate as those of United, which is exemplified by the amount of money the Red Devils are willing to commit for a teenager who has entered the last 12 months of his contract.
While the Reds are never shy of spending big when the need arises, they don’t have to match or even come close to United’s bid this time around.
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Real Madrid, Yoro’s preferred destination and always happy to keep adding superstars to their ranks, may want to make a last-minute move, but Liverpool would be wise to steer clear here.
