Manchester United’s push to beat Real Madrid to secure Leny Yoro’s signature received a significant boost on Wednesday with the defender poised to have a medical and finalise personal terms for a proposed €62m (£52m) transfer from Lille.
Yoro was expected to fly to Manchester in a firm sign that the 18‑year‑old may choose United over Madrid, despite previously having been minded to join the European champions.
Madrid’s valuation of Yoro is lower than United’s and they were relaxed about their pursuit, considering as an option whether to wait until next summer to sign the player when his Lille contract is due to expire.
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This means Lille want Yoro to join United. Madrid may try to persuade the player otherwise and if he chooses United it will be regarded at Old Trafford as a victory for the Sir Jim Ratcliffe-led football operation, particularly for Dan Ashworth, who began as the sporting director on 1 July.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is attracting interest from West Ham, with United open to selling the right-back, who has a year on his contract. The asking price for the 26-year-old would be about £15m.
Joshua Zirkzee has described what type of striker he is in a first interview since his €42.5m transfer to United. “A creative player, good with the ball,” the 23-year-old said. “I’m a bit unpredictable at times – I think those are the perfect words for me. It’s best to entertain as part of the whole team – not necessarily as an individual – but I think you have to make the fans who come to the stadium happy as well about the game.”
Zirkzee is enthused regarding working under his countryman Erik ten Hag, whose assistant coaches Ruud van Nistelrooy and René Hake are also Dutch.
“It’s an extra privilege and benefit for me – having Dutch people around obviously makes it a bit easier, though I’m an easygoing person. I’m not too difficult with adapting.
“When I was younger, watching the Dutch national team and Manchester United, he [Van Nistelrooy] was one of the guys who you were pretending to be when you were playing out with your friends. So having him out here is a bit special.”
