Leny Yoro has suffered a mixed two years so far at Man Utd but the centre-back is ready to make his mark in the 2026/27 campaign.
It can be easy to forget that Leny Yoro is still only 20. A Lille debut at 16, a £50million signing at 18, pursued by Real Madrid, signed by Manchester United. His trajectory to the top looked unstoppable.
But over two years at Old Trafford, smooth progress has become a little bumpier. Injuries and the general chaos that has engulfed the club haven’t helped the French centre-back settle in. Signed by Erik ten Hag, he is already on a third manager at the club.
United pushed the boat out to beat Real to the signing of Yoro from Lille in 2024 and backed him to go to the very top, but his 66 appearances so far include just 30 Premier League starts across his two campaigns at the club.
Yoro picked up a metatarsal injury early in his first pre-season that kept him sidelined until December and he has been battling to make up for lost time ever since, but feels he is now ready to shine under Michael Carrick as United prepare to return to the Champions League.
“I have no excuses, but I had injuries, and like I say, I hope I’m not going to be injured this season, and I will show to everyone what I can do,” Yoro said after helping to win the Snapdragon Cup in Stockholm.
“I hope I’m not going to be injured this pre-season. That’s going to help me to improve as well and to be ready for the start of the season.
“I know I can do much, much better. I know my potential for sure, and I hope I’m going to do a really good, good season.”
Yoro has already made 139 senior career appearances, a hefty total for a young centre-back, but he knows he still has plenty more development to come.
“Sometimes people forget I’m still 20, still have to learn, still have to improve,” he said. “I know my potential. I know I can learn a lot, I can improve a lot, so I hope this season is going to be a big, big step for me as well.”
He has added to his trade in pre-season, starting all three fixtures so far at right-back in the absence of Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui.
But Yoro still sees his future in the heart of defence and he is ready to challenge Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt and Ayden Heaven for a place in the side this season.
“I enjoy [playing right-back],” he said. “If I can help the team in this position, it’s good. I’ve played centre-back, but I enjoy playing this position.
“[But centre-back] is still my position. If I can be on the pitch, right-back or centre-back, if I can play, that’s the best for me.”
United finished third last season after an impressive end to the campaign under Carrick and Yoro is confident a challenge for the Premier League title isn’t beyond them this season.
“We’re Manchester United, so we have to think like that, and I know we have the potential to do it, so now we have to do it,” he said.
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