Man Utd target 'not motivated' by prospect of £53m move

Leny Yoro remains unmoved by the prospect of joining Manchester United despite Lille accepting their £53m offer for the defender, reports in France have claimed.

The 18-year-old is one of the most sought-after prospects in Europe following a fine 2023/24 campaign in northern France.

Lille's asking price of roughly £50m has put some suitors off, though United had a bid totalling just north of that sum accepted last week.

But L'Equipe report Yoro is not sold on the idea of heading to Old Trafford as he is still holding out for a move to Real Madrid, who to this point have been reluctant to meet Lille's valuation - their highest offer to this point was barely worth £17m.

Madrid believe Yoro could follow a similar career trajectory to Raphael Varane, but do not want to fork out a hefty fee for him as his contract expires next summer. Yoro's agent, Jorge Mendes, is also 'no longer in the good books' of Los Blancos, and their relationship has not been that fruitful since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in 2018.

Beyond United and Madrid, L'Equipe add that Paris Saint-Germain are contemplating their own move for Yoro, fully aware of the player's indecision on heading to England and the European champions' hesitance on making a play this summer. But as is the case with Madrid, Mendes is not on the best of terms with PSG at present.

Lille, ultimately, are not planning for the 2024/25 season with Yoro in mind, while they also blocked him participating at this summer's Olympics, which may allow him to negotiate a transfer with more ease. Those close to Yoro's camp believe the player is growing worried about Lille forcing him out to a club he does not necessarily want to join.

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