Leny Yoro is reportedly preparing to head to England to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms with Manchester United, as the English giants close in on his signing from Lille.
The 18-year-old, who is regarded as one of the outstanding young talents in world football, only has a contract with Lille until the end of next season, and the French outfit are keen to sell him this summer to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing in the summer of 2025.
Real Madrid have been heavily linked with Yoro, with the teenager said to favour a switch to the Spanish giants, but Carlo Ancelotti's side are yet to place a suitable offer on the table.
Man United, on the other hand, have had an offer of an initial €62m (£52m) accepted, and the Red Devils have been working to convince the centre-back to head to Manchester.
According to journalist David Ornstein, Yoro is now preparing to head to England to undergo a medical, with personal terms also set to be finalised.
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Man United 'closing in' on deal for teenager Yoro
Ornstein claims that Man United "still have work to do", but the club are now confident of being able to secure his signature ahead of Real Madrid, who were long thought to lead the race.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, meanwhile, has said that the 20-time English champions want to confirm the deal "as soon as possible to avoid any hijack".
Romano claims that Yoro has been offered a contract until June 2029, with his salary increasing each year, and the eye-catching deal could go through in the near future.
The teenager has already made 60 first-team appearances for Lille, including 44 outings in all competitions during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring three times in the process.
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Yoro's signing would be a huge statement of intent
Real Madrid often get their way in the transfer market, but it appears that Man United are close to securing what would be a huge deal for the club considering Yoro's standing in the game.
He is being tipped to become one of the best centre-backs in world football in the coming years, and signing him would therefore represent a major coup for Erik ten Hag's side.
Joshua Zirkzee was the first acquisition of the INEOS era, with the Dutchman's move from Bologna being confirmed over the weekend.
Man United are still working on a deal for Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt, meanwhile, with the Netherlands international also being tipped to arrive.
However, Yoro could soon become the club's second signing of the summer, and the deal would strike a blow to the club's rivals ahead of what is shaping up to be a fascinating 2024-25 campaign.
Matt Law
