The rise of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United last season was a joy to watch, with his quality on show instantly during his debut against Everton.
The 19-year-old was so impressive that he became an irreplaceable figure in the middle of the park, a player that Erik ten Hag could trust to perform consistently.
Throughout the Premier League campaign, United’s wonderkid made 24 starts, scoring three goals and providing one assist in the process.
However, another extremely talented youngster could be added to the Red Devils squad this summer as United look to sign a new defender.
Man Utd’s centre-back transfer activity
According to a report from Dharmesh Sheth of Sky Sports, Man United have now ‘made initial contact’ for Leny Yoro.
The French rock is among a list of potential centre-back targets as they look to find an alternative to Jarrad Branthwaite.
The Everton defender was without doubt the first choice, but the Red Devils have already had a bid rejected for the Englishman this summer.
It’s said that United are now ‘unlikely to return with an improved offer’ due to the Toffees’ asking price being viewed as unreasonable.
The 21-year-old is valued at £70m, hence why United are now looking to get the ball rolling for Lille’s Yoro.
Why Leny Yoro is just as talented as Mainoo
Last season, Yoro truly announced himself to the football world as one of the most highly-rated talents in Europe, let alone France.
Operating as a right-centre half for Lille, the 18-year-old performed to an extremely high standard alongside Alexsandro Ribeiro.
Across the campaign, the number 15 started 30 matches in Ligue 1, keeping an impressive 13 clean sheets while also scoring two goals.
Yoro also already proved that he would be ready to perform in the Premier League, having starred against Aston Villa in the UEFA Europa Conference League, winning 100% of his duels and completing a supremely impressive 94% of his passes.
|
Mainoo vs Yoro 23/24 League Stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats |
Mainoo |
Yoro |
|
Appearances |
24 |
32 |
|
Goal contributions |
4 |
2 |
|
Passes completed |
31.1 |
54 |
|
Touches |
49 |
67.6 |
|
Tackles |
2 |
1.1 |
|
Interceptions |
0.9 |
1.1 |
|
Duels won |
5 |
3.2 |
|
Via Sofascore |
||
Just like Mainoo, the fact that Yoro is so complete already while being a teenager is mind-blowing, with football scout Jacek Kulig describing him as an “11/10 talent.”
From an in-possession perspective, Yoro is already among the very best in France, possessing the ability to retain the ball well while also having the confidence to take plenty of touches, which is also an aspect of Mainoo’s game even if they do play in different positions.
On the other hand, the Lille superstar is just as composed off the ball as he is on it, only entering duels when the opportunity presents itself, as shown by his tackles and interceptions.
However, what makes Yoro and Mainoo so similar is their incredible mentality and maturity, which make them act like seasoned professionals week in and week out.
This has a direct impact on their performance, with no occasion being too overwhelming, as shown by their coaches always relying on them to perform despite their lack of experience.
As both players see the beautiful game through the same lens, it’s extremely difficult to see the two youngsters not developing into two world-class players.
Overall, the prospect of having Mainoo, Yoro, and Alejandro Garnacho in their squad must excite the Man United faithful, and the French defender would be the future of the Red Devils’ backline.
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