Chelsea have joined the race for Lille’s highly-rated 17-year-old centre-back Leny Yoro, with Manchester United and Liverpool also keen.
According to 90 Min, Chelsea are ready to rival Liverpool and Manchester United in the race for Leny Yoro. The 17-year-old centre-back has attracted massive interest since breaking through in Ligue 1, but his club are keen to tie him down to an extension.
Premier League sides are making increased efforts to tie up moves for many young and emerging stars from elsewhere. Chelsea have been at the forefront of this style since their new owners arrived last year and have spent significantly to bring in some unpolished gems from around the world.
They have bought in so many of these emerging stars and have given particular attention to developments in France. Last summer alone, four new players from Ligue 1 arrived, and Chelsea are ready to use a familiar strategy to lure in 17-year-old Leny Yoro.
Yoro has emerged as one of the most promising talents out of France and LOSC Lille. He’s currently playing in his third league campaign, although he made only one appearance in his first one. Yet, with persistent performances, the 17-year-old has now become a regular for the club, putting in 90 minutes in the last seven games.
With 27 appearances for the club, there’s a high possibility some of the top clubs are already tracking him. Real Madrid have monitored his progress well, and they might approach if the conditions favour a move.
Similarly, Barcelona are also keeping close tabs on the 17-year-old defender ahead of the future. For now, Manchester United and Liverpool have seen links to Yoro, but as per the report, they have not advanced in the hunt for the youngster.
Hence, Chelsea could pounce on the opportunity and devise a plan similar to the transfers of Christopher Nkunku and Malo Gusto. In those cases, the Blues signed the player and allowed them to stay at their clubs until the summer.
With defensive spaces opening up at Chelsea with the potential sale of Trevoh Chalobah and probably even Thiago Silva’s departure, a move for Yoro would make sense. In fact, they have already set sights on Ousmane Diomande as a replacement for the latter, but the 17-year-old Lille star could be one for the future.
Lille are hopeful of keeping the player and could even offer him a new contract, with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2025. The Ligue 1 giants do run the risk of losing their promising star on the cheap if they cannot extend his stay, which would further boost the hopes of those interested in signing him.
While Liverpool and Manchester United could re-enter the chase in no time, Chelsea must swiftly act on their interest in the Lille star. He looks promising for the future, and a continuation of his development at Lille will help the defender gain experience and maturity in his game.
