Real Madrid News
Leny Yoro reveals why he chose Manchester United over Real Madrid
Young defender Leny Yoro has shared why he chose to sign with Manchester United over Real Madrid. The key reason for his decision was that Man United laid out a clear plan for his future development, something he found extremely exciting and promising.
Yesterday, Manchester United introduced Yoro, a player Real Madrid had their eyes on to strengthen their centre-back position, as their newest signing.
Real Madrid aimed to negotiate Lille’s financial demands down since Yoro had only one year left on his contract.
However, Yoro felt that Real Madrid’s interest didn’t match the enthusiasm and commitment shown by Manchester United. The English club was determined and put forth a strong effort to secure his transfer.
Man United paid a lot
The deal was finalized for a substantial amount of €50 million, with an additional €12 million potentially added depending on certain conditions.
Yoro appreciated the effort and confidence Manchester United showed in him. At 18 years old, the young centre-back didn’t hesitate to explain why he chose to join the team at Old Trafford over Real Madrid.
“From my first conversations with the club, they have given me a clear plan on how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project and they have shown a lot of affection for me and my family,” said the defender as quoted by SPORT.
Lille threatened Yoro
It is important to note that Real Madrid had recently invested €150 million in Kylian Mbappe’s signing bonus, which left them unwilling to spend more than €35 million on Yoro’s transfer.
Lille quickly rejected this offer. Real Madrid didn’t pursue the matter further, which led Yoro to realize that Santiago Bernabeu might not be the best place for him to grow and develop as a player.
“I feel Manchester could be the perfect place for me to fulfil my potential and achieve my ambitions, alongside my new team-mates, and I can’t wait to get started,” he added.
Interestingly, reports suggest that Lille had threatened Yoro, saying he would not get any playing time until his contract expired next summer if he didn’t sign with Manchester United.
This situation further solidified his decision to join the English club, where he felt more valued and assured of his future in football.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
