Man United transfer news: £52m star ‘playing for his future’ as three upgrades emerge

Leny Yoro is reportedly facing an uncertain future at Manchester United as the club weighs up defensive upgrades next year.

The Red Devils allegedly paid an initial €62m (£52.2m) to sign the defender from Lille in July 2024, but the deal could eventually rise to €70m (£58.9m) if various add-ons are met.

Yoro arrived at Old Trafford as a highly-rated 18-year-old regarded by many as one of the brightest young defenders in world football who excelled at senior level in Ligue 1.

However, the 6ft 3in centre-back - who turns 21 in November - has struggled to make the desired impact in Man United’s first-team on a consistent basis and his progress has stalled over the past 12 months.

Yoro started 18 of his 32 Premier League appearances for Man United last season, including six under head coach Michael Carrick who steered the Red Devils to a third-placed finish.

This term, the Frenchman has found himself behind Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez in the centre-back pecking order, and has been limited to just two starts and two brief substitute appearances across all competitions.

Man Utd eyeing up three defenders amid Yoro ‘uncertainty’

Competition for places in Man United defence could become increasingly fierce when experienced Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt eventually recovers from his long-term injury.

Although Yoro still has three years remaining on his contract at Old Trafford, TEAMtalk claims that his long-term future at the club is ‘far from certain’.

The Red Devils are said to be eyeing up potential defensive reinforcements as part of their transfer planning for 2027, with three centre-backs currently on their radar.

Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has been admired by Man United for some time and Carrick’s side have allegedly made ‘fresh contact’ with the player’s representatives.

However, Branthwaite is thought to be valued by the Toffees at around £80m, while the Red Devils face competition from the likes of Real Madrid and rivals Manchester City for his signature.

Lecce’s Tiago Gabriel and Stuttgart’s Finn Jeltsch have also been identified as possible defensive targets by Man United and would represent cheaper alternatives to Branthwaite.

Carrick: “Yoro has a fantastic future ahead of him”

Following Yoro’s underwhelming display in Man United’s 3-2 loss to Brighton in the EFL Cup, Carrick defended the youngster and insisted that he has a bright future ahead of him.

Asked by reporters if there has to be a cut-off point for where Yoro steps up and starts performing, Carrick replied: “No. He's 20, Leny, you know? And again, in context, he's got a fantastic future ahead of him and a lot of potential, and he's learning, he's developing.

“To be at this club in place as a centre-back at such a young age, it's a challenging position. It's one that he can do for sure, it's one that Ayden [Heaven] can do for sure, but there's no cut-off point.

“Some players progress and find when they're 18, they're at that level where they can really perform. Some players, like Leny, showed he can perform. I've got no worries for Leny.

“I think he does a lot of really good things and it’s part of learning. Sometimes it might be 20, sometimes you see players 22, 23, 24 where they start developing. So there's definitely no cut-off point.

“He's just got to keep progressing and moving in the right direction, wanting to learn, keep improving, getting more opportunities.

“He's doing a lot of good things, and I think we've got to be careful again, and I certainly won't [be] making knee-jerk decisions on certain players just because of one game or one half or one moment in a game, and we've got a lot of belief in Leny for sure.”

Yoro was left out of Zinedine Zidane’s first France squad for the two-week international break, but he has been included in the Under-21s side ahead of Euro 2027 qualifiers against Iceland and Estonia.