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Manchester United’s defence ended up conceding 85 times across all competitions last time out and it is clear that new co-owners need to look at strengthening in this position.
Raphael Varane has already announced his departure while Jonny Evans might not earn a new deal once his current contract expires in June.
With both Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire also rumoured to be available for a transfer, it is clear that the Red Devils will target a right-footed centre-back.
Multiple names have been linked with a move to Old Trafford but Marca have revealed that the 20-time English league champions have submitted the first bid €60 million for Lille’s Leny Yoro.
Yoro bid
The young defender has caught the eye of Europe’s elites thanks to his strong showings for his club as Lille clinched fourth spot in Ligue 1 while conceding the third-lowest goals in the league.
Yoro was in the top seven percent for passes completed (fbref) while also scoring thrice and helping keep 20 clean-sheets in all competitions.
Real Madrid are also in the race but they have not yet made their move, paving the way for INEOS to win the race for the in-demand 18-year-old.
Los Blancos are banking on the player’s wish to play in white and are hoping that the player is not swayed by tempting offers. United have the chance to complete a smash-and-grab deal for the highly-coveted centre-back.
“The English club has put a proposal above the market value on the table for the 18-year-old footballer and are willing to accept some of the claims that Lille have set to close the operation and which point to a value close to 60 million euros.
“Real Madrid are clear and want to sign the centre-back, but they have already told the player and his agent that they have to wait, and that they have to resist the temptation of a higher offer if they really want to wear white.”
INEOS mean business
Recently, reports emerged that Paris Saint-Germain were close to sealing the France U23 international’s signature. It seems that was not quite the case if this report is to be believed.
The Spanish giants continue to be in touch with the player’s agent while PSG cannot be discounted either. This race is bound to have quite a few twists and turns yet to come.
INEOS are showing that they mean business as reports of bids going in for their targets continue to do the rounds. Yesterday, news broke that the Red Devils had submitted their first bid for Joao Neves of Benfica.
It remains to be seen if Lille accept or if Real manage to win the race. One thing is good to see from a United perspective, unlike previous seasons, the club are not wasting time in the market and are making their moves quite early on.
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