Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed why the club secured the signature of Leny Yoro from Lille ahead of Spanish giant, Real Madrid.
Yoro, 18, joined United in a deal worth up to £58.9m earlier this summer. Despite being linked to Real Madrid and PSG, the young France defender chose Old Trafford and will be tasked with leading Erik ten Hag’s team to success.
However, Yoro suffered a foot injury in pre-season which forced him to undergo surgery and is expected to keep him on the sidelines for the next three months.
Speaking about the youngster, Erik ten Hag admitted Yoro’s mentality and maturity played a big part in Manchester United’s decision to sign the teenager this summer.
“He already expresses one of the reasons why we signed him,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports. “Very mature, great personality, dealing with it, looking forward, being brave and positive.”
“Fire is burning there. For his age, he’s already very mature, very in balance. You don’t get him distracted. He knows what he wants. He knows where he wants to go. I’m sure he’ll return as soon as possible and then he will support the team and help the team to win games and trophies.
“You need heart and you need head. In football, both are very important. You need both things right to form a team. In any team, you need different skillsets, but personality, character and mentality are very important to construct a winning team.”
Yoro, who will wear the number 15 shirt next season, is not expected back in action until October. United are now keen on Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt who is likely to replace the youngster until he recovers.
