Who is Leny Yoro? The France wonderkid wanted by Real Madrid, Chelsea & Man Utd

Cameron Smith

• 25 Mar 2024 16:58 GMT
• 4 min read

Leny Yoro appears destined to become one of the very best centre-backs in world football and he is certainly on his way to achieving that status after an incredible start to senior football at Lille.

The France youth international is already a regular in Ligue 1, despite being only 18, and he is being chased by Europe’s biggest clubs.

But, who is Yoro and why is he so highly-rated?

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What position does Leny Yoro play?

Yoro is a centre-back.

How good is Leny Yoro?

The Frenchman is one of the most talented defenders in world football and he has already drawn several comparisons to his compatriot Raphael Varane, who also broke through in Ligue 1 at a young age.

Yoro made his senior Lille debut at just 16 years old during the 2021-22 season, becoming the second youngest player to ever feature in the first-team, overtaking Chelsea legend Eden Hazard in the process.

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He featured more regularly in 2022-23, before becoming a regular from the start of 2023-24, despite being only 17 years old at the start of the campaign.

France are blessed with a host of talented centre-backs, but Yoro is already a regular in his nation’s U21 side and it won’t be long until he is called up by Didier Deschamps.

A composed centre-back, Yoro is an expert passer and despite his age, he is a physical presence who excels in aerial duels. Yoro is also very quick once his long legs get going; he is already such a well-rounded defender and he is only going to get better.

What clubs are interested in Leny Yoro?

Yoro is one of the hottest properties in European football. According to reports, he has been named as one of Real Madrid’s primary transfer targets as Los Blancos eye a repeat of their move for Varane in 2011.

Chelsea and Manchester United are also interested, however, and are hoping to persuade him that a move to the Premier League is the ideal next step for him. Paris Saint-Germain are unsurprisingly in the race too.

When does Leny Yoro’s contract expire?

Yoro’s current contract at Lille runs until 30 June 2025.

How old is Leny Yoro?

Yoro was born on 13 November 2005. He is 18 years old at the time of writing.

What is Leny Yoro’s Instagram?

Yoro’s Instagram account is @lenyyoro. He has 53.8k followers as of March 2024.