Manchester United have made a massive step in reshaping their defence department after struggling at the back for two consecutive seasons.
Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui have moved to Old Trafford this summer with Raphael Varane heading out.
Unfortunately for United, Yoro suffered a broken metatarsal in pre-season against Arsenal in Los Angeles.
He went under the knife and is set to be out for at least another two months.
The Athletic revealed that United were aware of a potential metatarsal issue in Yoro’s foot through medical scans.
Executives proceeded with the signing, considering it was a ‘rare opportunity to capture one of Europe’s highly-regarded young players’.
The Red Devils were banking on a long-term vision, knowing that the French prodigy was unlikely to feature regularly in the Premier League just yet.
This explains why they were always interested in bringing De Ligt to Old Trafford.
The Dutchman and Lisandro Martinez will be the first-choice centre-back pair, allowing United to take a patient approach with Yoro.
The teenager will be a good rotation player to keep De Ligt and Martinez fresh and injury-free.
This strategy is particularly astute given the intense media scrutiny of being a Man United player.
While Yoro is hailed as a generational talent, adapting to the relentless pressure of English football will be crucial for his development.
He has a prime example in fellow defender Harry Maguire. The Englishman faced extreme criticism for his performances but demonstrated remarkable resilience to regain Erik ten Hag’s trust last season.
