Man Utd confirm Leny Yoro shirt number
- Yoro completed £52m switch from Lille earlier this week
- United officially confirm teenager's new shirt number
- Centre-back reveals contact from United legend before sealing move
By Tom Gott
Manchester United have confirmed that new signing Leny Yoro will wear the number 15 shirt in the coming season.
The 18-year-old sealed a £52m switch to Old Trafford earlier this week, with the Red Devils sneaking ahead of long-term admirers Real Madrid to convince Yoro to make the move to Manchester instead.
United confirmed ahead of Saturday's friendly against Rangers, in which Yoro could make his first appearance for the club, that the centre-back will wear the number 15 shirt in which he made his name at Lille.
The 15 has been free since Sergio Reguilon's loan from Tottenham Hotspur expired in January and was perhaps most famously worn by Nemanja Vidic between 2006 and 2014.
Yoro had been widely expected to join Real Madrid this summer but the Spanish giants declined to match United's bid and instead hoped the teenager would snub a move to Old Trafford and move to Madrid on a free transfer next summer.
However, a call from a United legend helped convince Yoro to take his talents to the Premier League.
"United legend? Let's say Rio Ferdinand," Yoro told United media. "I don't even know if I can explain this guy but he's a top defender and a really good guy.
"I just called him but I hope to meet him soon. Not today, but during the transfer market. He helped me a lot to make my choice, he explained how big United is, so it was really good for me."
Yoro's signing is the not only piece of significant business concluded by United this summer. Joshua Zirkzee has arrived from Bologna to provide competition for Rasmus Hojlund up front and there's a desire from club chiefs to sign another centre-back alongside Yoro.
Two bids for Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite have been rebuffed, leaving Matthijs de Ligt to be the primary target in United's crosshairs. Talks have been held with Bayern Munich over a potential fee, with the Dutchman keen to reunite with manager Erik ten Hag, who he previously worked with at Ajax.
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