Leny Yoro just earned his first career call-up to the France international senior team for the group stage of UEFA Nations League. Head coach Zinedine Zidane sees something in him, enough to name him to the squad of one of international football’s most formidable sides.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick may not see eye-to-eye with Zidane on this one. Leny Yoro has only played two full 90-minute matches since the start of the season, and neither came in the Premier League. Yoro started in the 4-0
UCL win over Sabah and in the 3-2 EFL Cup loss to Brighton.
Yoro looked somewhat shaky in those two matches, which could be partly due to his confidence levels, the lack of experience in the partnership with Ayden Heaven or Carrick sticking him at right back in preseason against Wrexham, Rosenborg and Atletico Madrid. Yoro looked comfortable as a full back, earning a 7.7 FotMob rating against Rosenborg and a 7.8 rating against Atletico Madrid.
With Harry Maguire’s performances declining and his one-year contract expiring, Leny Yoro starting next to Lisandro Martinez may just be United’s strongest center back partnership in the foreseeable future. Ruben Amorim utilized him at a higher rate in 2024-25 and 2025-26 than Michael Carrick is now, and the development of a promising young £50M could be going in the wrong direction if he’s not given opportunities. Real Madrid must’ve been monitoring him for a reason.
If Carrick wants to keep Maguire in the starting lineup because of his aerial ability and strength, Yoro should get his chance to start at rightback as a temporary solution. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui have both lacked the quality to belong in United’s starting XI, and Yoro himself said in preseason that he just wants to play, no matter where it is on the pitch. His quality should not go to waste.
Carrick should ask himself if anybody in United’s current back four possesses the recovery instincts Yoro displayed in the box over the last two seasons. His goal-saving slide tackles against Darwin Nunez, Ollie Watkins and Joshua King proved his 1-on-1 abilities.
In the thriller against Lyon, Yoro showcased his effort by flinging himself in front of Malick Fofana’s shot, pulling off a desperate, headed goal-line block.
Besides Matthijs de Ligt, Carrick’s answer would almost certainly be no.
Fans want to see him impress, but how will he without the opportunities? It may be of interest for United to begin building their new back line with young players full of potential like Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven rather than starting the same back line they’ve had since 2022.
