PSG move on €90m star targeted by Man Utd, Chelsea and Real Madrid

Robin Bairner

• 22 Jan 2024 10:14 GMT
• 3 min read

PSG have stolen a march on the glut of clubs seeking to sign Lille wonderkid Leny Yoro, according to reports from France.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid have all been linked with a move for the teenage defender, with Lille seeking to take advantage of the situation by placing an asking price of €90 million on the head of the teenager.

According to FootMercato, PSG have already opened talks with Lille over the prospect of a transfer and have made him their January priority.

According to the report, PSG have been “thrown into a panic” in a bid to secure the 18-year-old, who is particularly coveted because the Ligue 1 leaders are without Milan Skriniar and Presnel Kimpembe because of long-term injuries in their defence.

Yoro, who has been favourably compared to a young Virgil van Dijk, has indicated a preference to remain at Lille until the summer, but according to the report, he could be persuaded to move immediately because he will immediately be integrated into PSG’s starting XI.

Indeed, the Parc des Princes side are even willing to complete something of a clear-out in the summer to make him feel more comfortable.

Yoro a symbol of the new PSG

Yoro, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €16.5m, is the type of player that PSG are now prioritising. Not only do they ideally want to sign young rising stars, they are seeking to increase their French core in the team. Their transfer strategy will now echo that of Bayern Munich in Germany. The Lille youngster aligns with both their chief priorities.

The youngster’s profile, meanwhile, has increased dramatically since appointing Jorge Mendes to become his agent. Since Cristiano Ronaldo’s representative took charge of his affairs, he has been increasingly linked with major clubs.

Lille are poised to sell Tiago Djalo to Juventus this January for €3.5m but they face losing Yoro too given there are only 18 months left on his deal and there is little chance of him signing a new contract.