Rio Ferdinand still thinks Leny Yoro is one of the most exciting young defenders at Manchester United. But even he admits the 20-year-old’s road has been anything but smooth since arriving at Old Trafford with a massive reputation.
Yoro joined United in 2024 for an initial £52 million, beating out Real Madrid for his signature. He came in as a teenager who had already broken through at Lille and looked like a future star. Ferdinand was actually part of the recruitment push. The club asked him to speak directly with Yoro before the deal went through.
“I was asked on the Leny Yoro situation, ‘You’re a centre-back Rio, he’s a young, Black boy, I think you’d be the right person to speak to him’,” Ferdinand told The Athletic. “This has happened with multiple players before, some I’ve not spoken about. It’s because I love the club and I want the best.”
Then things went sideways fast. Yoro fractured the metatarsal in his left foot during a preseason friendly against Arsenal, just weeks after signing. He was out for roughly four months. By the time he came back, Erik ten Hag was gone and Ruben Amorim had installed a back-three system Yoro had to learn on the fly.
To his credit, Yoro won Amorim’s trust quickly as the right-sided center-back in that three. He made 21 Premier League appearances and played a key role in United’s run to the Europa League final. In that miserable 1-0 loss to Tottenham in Bilbao, Yoro was one of the few United players who didn’t look out of place as Heung-Min Son lifted the trophy.
Year two brought a different set of problems
Yoro’s second season mirrored the chaos around him. He started as first choice but lost his spot after shaky performances, including a rough outing against Crystal Palace and his fellow Frenchman Jean-Philippe Mateta. Amorim was fired in January after a blowup with sporting director Jason Wilcox, and Michael Carrick took over as interim coach.
Carrick immediately switched back to a back four. That meant one less center-back on the field and fewer opportunities for Yoro behind more experienced teammates. He lost his place after a poor showing in a 2-1 loss to Leeds United, even with Matthijs de Ligt sidelined since November with a back problem and both Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez suspended in April.
Ferdinand isn’t worried about the long-term outlook. He sees Yoro’s struggles as a product of the environment, not a lack of talent.
“The circumstances at the club probably hindered him a little bit,” Ferdinand said.
Back in March, the former United captain gave Yoro some pointed advice after the Mateta matchup. He told the young defender he was trying to win too many battles when his body wasn’t ready physically.
“Leny Yoro right now is trying to fight too many fights in a game, when physically he’s not starting at the same place,” Ferdinand said. “They’re all much more physically developed. Most of the players he’s playing against, and No 9s especially, are stronger than him. So then you’ve got to pick your battles. Pick your duel. Which one are you actually going to have if you’ve got a 60-40 in your favor? Then you go all in.”
According to The Athletic, Carrick and his staff still rate Yoro highly. Sources at the club say they’re impressed by how much extra work he puts into his physical development and recovery. The player himself is motivated for the new campaign and has been training individually over the summer to get ready for preseason.
United is expected to play a more aggressive, proactive style under Carrick now that he’s the permanent head coach. That system needs a tall, mobile center-back who can play out from the back. With De Ligt’s return uncertain and both Maguire and Martinez struggling in high lines, the door is open for Yoro to claim that starting spot.
Ferdinand’s advice was simple: pick the right fight. This might be the one where he goes all in.
Leave a Comment