When Manchester United announced the signing of Leny Jean-Luc Yoro on July 18, 2024, millions of United fans across the globe felt thrilled to have added one of the most promising defensive prospects in the world.
Born in Saint-Maurice, France, Yoro was raised in the Parisian suburbs by Alain Yoro, a former footballer of Ivorian descent who played for Lille’s reserves and Flore Baugnies. He started playing for Alfortville, where he spent one year before heading to Lille, joining Les Dogues’ academy
ranks in 2017 and eventually making his professional debut in a 3–1 Ligue 1 win over Nice on May 14, 2022. In doing so, Yoro surpassed Eden Hazard as the second-youngest player to play for Lille. Yoro followed that up by establishing himself as Lille’s fourth-choice center back before enjoying a breakthrough 2023/24 season which would see him become one of the first names in Lille’s defense, being nominated for the 2023–24 Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year and named in the Team of the Year.
These stellar displays caught the attention of multiple European giants like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, but it was United who won the race for him on a five-year contract, with the option of an additional year. United paid an initial €62m, as well as a maximum of €8 million in add-ons, making him the most expensive player aged 18 or younger and one of the most expensive centre-backs in history. Yoro has been tasked with a challenge that countless players like Pat McGibbon and Danny Higginbotham have failed to achieve: break into Manchester United’s defense as a teenager and become a reliable presence at the back. Yoro got off to a dismal start in English football after breaking his foot in a friendly vs. Arsenal a mere two weeks after signing, forcing him to wait four months before making his competitive debut at the Emirates. The Frenchman was nevertheless able to play a key role in the second half of the campaign with 33 appearances, grabbing his first United goal in Lyon before stealing the show with a goal-saving headed tackle, before becoming United’s second-youngest starter in a European final after Brian Kidd (1968 European Cup) as Tottenham Hotspur prevailed 1-0 and confirmed their presence in the UEFA Champions League.
As a result of this defeat, as well as their penalty shootout loss at Grimsby Town, United are alive in just two competitions, with the Red Devils set to host Brighton in the FA Cup on January 11. They sit seventh in the Premier League table, one point behind Sunderland, three behind Liverpool and Chelsea, and 10 behind third-placed Aston Villa. But whilst United have taken a step forward in the league under Ruben Amorim, one player who hasn’t quite been able to elevate his level is Yoro. Whereas Yoro kicked off his United chapter by tracking down runners and making last-ditch interceptions, anticipating danger, and breaking the lines with his passing, it’s evident that he’s taken a turn for the worse this season.
Yoro’s form has severely declined in recent weeks, with the Frenchman allowing his opponent to move in and out with freedom and failing to impose himself in aerial duels. He’s looking second-best in quite a few physical challenges and foot races, whilst he’s also appearing to be lacking on confidence in terms of stepping in and preventing danger from arising. The proof is in the pudding: Yoro is winning fewer ground duels (1.3 per 90 / 50%) than last season (1.6 per 90 / 61.1%), whilst he’s also giving away possession nearly twice as much (5.5 vs. 3.2) as last season. Even basic things like throw-ins are starting to be an issue for Yoro – a session with Thomas Grønnemark couldn’t hurt – whilst he’s also making fewer tackles and interceptions as last season. He’s been caught out time and time again this season and has failed to keep up against the pace and power of elite forwards like Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, and Jean-Philippe Mateta. The latest to exploit Yoro’s defensive frailties was Morgan Rogers.
Rogers gave Villa the lead before the interval after failing to calmly trap a through ball from John McGinn on his boot, racing to the touchline to prevent a throw-in before breezing past Yoro and launching a rocket of a finish into the top-right corner. He was caught out once again after failing to intervene, looking timid and slow and allowing Rogers to work the ball to his right and unfurl a world-class finish to secure Villa’s 2-1 win. It was the kind of stuff you might expect in a pre-match training session, but not an actual competitive match with massive implications on their Champions League ambitions.
Can Yoro finally wake up and lead United to victory against Newcastle on Friday? Amorim will certainly be hoping so as he looks to guide the Red Devils to their first home win since October 25.
