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Manchester United have reached an agreement with Lille to sign Leny Yoro for around 45 million ($48.7m) amid significant interest in the player from LaLiga champions Real Madrid, sources have told ESPN.
Madrid remain confident of winning the race for the young centre-back because of the player’s desire to play for Los Blancos, the sources added, despite the fact that Madrid have not yet tabled a formal offer to sign the French star and are hoping to make a deal with Lille for a slightly lesser sum.
Sources also told ESPN that United are aware that the player’s preference is to play for Madrid but hope to force Lille’s hand with their more substantial bid.
Paris Saint-Germain have also shown interest in the 18-year-old but Madrid remain optimistic as they have had an agreement with the player for some time, sources told ESPN.
Yoro’s contract with Lille expires in June 2025 and he has no intention of renewing it, meaning the French club need to sell him this summer to avoid losing him for free next summer.
Yoro made his debut for Lille at the end of the 2021-22 season and quickly caught the eye, with sources at Madrid highlighting his physique and ball-playing skills.
The defender is already a France international at under-21 level, though he was omitted from Thierry Henry’s final squad for the football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Meanwhile, Madrid need to reinforce their defence after Nacho decided to join Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah after his contract expired.
Carlo Ancelotti is counting on Antonio Rüdiger to lead the defence, with Éder Militão and David Alaba returning after missing much of last season with serious injuries.
However, he is still looking for another defender following the decision to sell Rafa Marín, who spent last season on loan at Alavés, to Napoli.
Information from ESPN’s Rob Dawson contributed to this report.