Lille’s standout 18-year-old centre half is drawing a lot of attention but Real Madrid may hold pole position for his signature.
There have been few, if any, Liverpool transfer rumours so far this summer from English sources that could broadly be considered reliable, with the club to all appearances having done a good job so far of avoiding leaking anything of note.
There have been rumours, to be sure, but they’ve tended to come by way of leaks—or journalists being fed—elsewhere and with their reliability more difficult to gauge. Now, though, we can say we have at least one link that might plausibly be sourced from the Liverpool end.
That’s because The Athletic’s David Ornstein is today claiming that despite the rumour getting its start in outlets like The Metro, Liverpool and Manchester United are in fact both looking to sign 18-year-old Lille centre half Leny Yoro this summer.
It’s not all good news, though, as it appears despite the fact Real Madrid are yet to make a move for the player, the French youngster is aware of their interest and the La Liga side are Yoro’s preferred destination.
It’s a situation that for Liverpool fans will bring back unhappy memories of players like Jude Bellingham and Aurélien Tchouaméni, the Reds’ two top midfield targets in recent years and both players who for a time they were convinced they could sign only to see them end up heading to Spain.
United’s inclusion in the transfer chatter will for many feel less threatening, even if what the departure of long-time manager Jürgen Klopp and arrival of Arne Slot at Anfield will do to Liverpool’s pull in the transfer market remains an unknown for the time being.
Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be sniffing around Yoro, who despite his young age made a total of 44 appearances for Lille across all competitions last season but could represent a value opportunity due to having just a year on his contract.