Man United near to beating Real Madrid to Leny Yoro – sources

Manchester United are near overcoming competitors from Actual Madrid to seal a £52.1 million ($67.9m) deal for Leny Yoro after the Lille defender was granted permission to journey to Outdated Trafford for a medical, sources have advised ESPN.

United, who accomplished the £35.8m ($46.7m) signing of Netherlands ahead Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna earlier this week, have moved forward of Madrid within the race for Yoro, with sources telling ESPN that the Champions League winners opted in opposition to participating in a bidding struggle with the Premier League membership for the centre-half.

Yoro, 18, had favoured a transfer to Madrid and had initially been immune to a switch to United, however the English membership have now made a breakthrough in negotiations with Lille and the participant.

Sources advised ESPN that Yoro advised Madrid of his intention to signal for United on Tuesday night time after the Spanish membership didn’t make a transfer to signal him.

Madrid, as ESPN has reported, have been in fixed contact with Yoro for months however by no means made a concrete provide to signal him. The membership had Yoro as one in all their precedence targets to bolster the defence following the departure of Nacho however sources have at all times insisted to ESPN that they’d not enter right into a bidding struggle for his companies.

The truth is, Madrid have been optimistic as a result of Yoro’s want was to hitch Madrid however the membership weren’t keen to succeed in the value supplied by United for a participant who can be accessible at no cost in simply 12 months.

Lille, who completed fourth in Ligue 1 final season to seal a spot within the 2024-25 Champions League third qualifying spherical, have accepted United’s bid and Yoro is now travelling to Manchester to debate private phrases and endure a medical.

Sources have advised ESPN, nevertheless, that whereas Yoro’s readiness to journey to Manchester exhibits that the participant is open to a transfer to Outdated Trafford, there may be nonetheless work to do to get the deal over the road, regardless of Madrid’s reluctance to pursue a switch on the identical stage of United’s provide.

France under-21 worldwide Yoro is thought to be one of many brightest younger defensive abilities in Europe after changing into a first-team common at Lille. He made his senior debut as a 16-year-old on the finish of the 2021-22 season.

United are focusing on younger expertise this summer season because the membership’s new soccer board, led by Ineos proprietor Sir Jim Ratcliffe, try and rebuild Erik ten Hag’s squad with gamers who’ve each potential and the power to extend their worth within the workforce.

The pursuit of Yoro and Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt can also be more likely to result in numerous defensive departures from Outdated Trafford this summer season with United ready to take heed to provides for Victor Lindelöf, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Former France worldwide Raphaël Varane has already left the membership following the expiry of his contract final month.

Data from ESPN’s Rodrigo Faez contributed to this report.