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Manchester United’s signing of Leny Yoro from Lille for a fee in the region of £58 million has raised plenty of eyebrows across Europe.
The 6ft 3in centre-back, who is viewed as the Kylian Mbappe of defenders, was thought to be destined for Real Madrid.
However, United’s new decision-makers, including chief executive Omar Berrada, showed a huge statement of intent by signing Yoro despite interest from not just Madrid, but also Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.
Such is Yoro’s calibre that after making headlines with his summer transfer he may also get the fans and pundits talking by instantly becoming a starter at Old Trafford at the age of 18.
With Raphael Varane out of the picture, the Frenchman’s direct competition for the right side of the central defence is Harry Maguire.
However, Maguire has come forward to praise the star signing, stating (via The Telegraph): “He has every attribute of a centre-back in the modern game so I’m sure he’s gonna have a bright future.”
At the same time, the former United skipper warned viewers to acknowledge that Yoro is still young and is “going to make mistakes.”
The 31-year-old also underlined he is available to help the Lille academy product find his feet in the Premier League.
“It’s our job as senior centre-backs, my job, to help him along, communicate well, let him know what to expect,” he said.
“There are going to be times where I’m sure he’ll feel the world is on top of him, there are also going to be times where he’s going to feel like the best player in the world. And that’s what this club brings.”
Maguire certainly understands just how tricky it is to play as a centre-back for England’s biggest clubs, with social media users and the press ready to pounce on every mistake.
The England international, however, has handled criticism well. At one point, not many saw Maguire having any future under Ten Hag, who stripped him of the captaincy. However, last season, the former Leicester City man stepped up several times to help his side and deservedly earned plaudits from many.
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