Man United tried to keep Leny Yoro injury a “secret” to help pursuit of Matthijs de Ligt | OneFootball

Manchester United made attempts to keep the extent of Leny Yoro’s injury “under wraps” to help the club’s bargaining position in their pursuit of Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, according to a report by The Athletic.

Yoro, 18, joined United this summer from LOSC Lille in a blockbuster transfer worth a potential £60 million.

The defensive starlet, considered the ‘generational talent’ at centre-back in his age group, was heavily courted by Real Madrid, as well as PSG and Liverpool, only for United to steal a march on their European rivals and win the race to sign him.

There was a huge buzz around Yoro’s debut as he started in defence against Rangers in a pre-season friendly. He demonstrated his technical ability on the ball, as well as the impressive defensive attributes which have made Europe’s elite take note.

This positivity quickly morphed into a depressingly familiar negativity, however, during the 18-year-old’s next appearance, against Arsenal in Los Angeles.

Yoro was forced off the field during the first-half of his second appearance, after going down in an innocuous manner. He was visibly upset as he left the pitch and rumours quickly swirled of a potentially serious injury.

No official update came from United in the days after the match, despite the expected timeline for a diagnosis for such an injury being within forty-eight hours. But this reluctance to disclose any information was a calculated one by the club.

Laurie Whitwell (The Athletic) reveals United were determined to “keep [Yoro’s] injury secret in part due to ongoing negotiations for other targets” in the transfer market.

An unrelenting injury crisis at Old Trafford decimated Erik ten Hag’s squad last season. These problems were most acutely felt in defence with every single one of the Dutchman’s defenders spending significant periods on the side line with injury, aside from right-back Diogo Dalot.

As such, United made the acquisition of at least two centre-backs a priority this summer in an effort to buttress Ten Hag’s shaky defensive unit. Yoro was one part of this plan. The other appears to have been Jarrad Branthwaite – Everton’s 21-year-old centre-back who enjoyed a breakout year on Merseyside last season.

Everton’s valuation of their defender – in excess of £70 million – proved far too costly for United’s tastes, however. The Red Devils tabled two bids for Branthwaite, falling short of this figure, and the Toffees promptly rejected them.

In response, United changed tac, quickly settling on De Ligt as an alternative, with initial talks revealing a deal could be struck at a price cheaper than previously expected, given Bayern’s willingness to sell.

However, the transfer budget at Old Trafford this summer has been constrained by the pressure of financial fair play regulations, and United sought to drive the German club’s price down, after agreeing personal terms with De Ligt. The 24-year-old Dutch international also communicated his desire to Bayern that he only wanted to relocate to Manchester this summer, further strengthening United’s negotiating position.

Which is why Yoro’s injury – a metatarsal injury requiring three months of rehabilitation – came as such a blow to this pursuit of De Ligt.

United’s need for a new centre-back was made even stronger by the absence of their crown jewel signing and there was recognition amongst club executives that Bayern would use this development to reinforce their resolve over De Ligt’s price, thought to be in the region of €50 million.

There is still confidence at Old Trafford that a move for the Dutch defender will be completed this month, and he is expected to be joined by Moroccan right-back Noussair Mazraoui in a double deal from Bayern. Personal terms have been agreed with both players, who have both played under Ten Hag at Ajax previously, and it simply remains a question of price for the final fee.

United only revealed the extent of Yoro’s expected absence after the 18-year-old was visibly spotted on crutches in a protective boot. Many had questioned why there was such a delay to the injury being communicated; if United are able to strike a cheaper deal for De Ligt than €50 million, we’ll know why.

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