Before analysing what Manchester United’s signing of Leny Yoro means for Real Madrid, we should stress something: this type of decision is not normal. Quite the opposite, in fact.
In recent years, Real Madrid have become known for acquiring the world’s best young players, bringing in Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham and Endrick.
According to senior sources at the club, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, those players, and the latest big-name signing Kylian Mbappe, have one thing in common: they made sacrifices to play for Real Madrid.
Usually, the club start by convincing the player of the sporting project and economic terms. At this stage, it is important to explain to the player that they will probably have higher proposals from other suitors, but that the sporting importance and personal brand impact of playing for Real Madrid is unparalleled. This is helped by explaining examples of football and commercial developments from which their players have benefited.
The second step is to ask the intended player to make it clear to their current club that they do not want to go to any club other than Real Madrid and refuse to enter into talks with other suitors, let alone be approached with offers from them.
Real Madrid usually get their man (Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
All this leads the selling club to a dead end in which it logically has to be more reasonable with the price for the player.
In short, Real Madrid considers that this gives the player a chance to join the club on fair terms, and that the rest is up to them.
But if this is a proven formula for success, what went wrong this time?
Well, we must bear in mind that Madrid have just signed Mbappe, for whom they have been fighting for many years, and will soon be unveiling Endrick, potentially Brazil’s next great player.
With the future of the forward line secured, the club knew that the next step was to bring in a central defender and the only real option on the table was Yoro.
The club’s initial plan was to do a deal in 2025, but serious knee injuries to Eder Militao (in August 2023) and David Alaba (December 2023), plus the departure of Nacho Fernandez after he refused to renew his contract, meant that the process was brought forward.
Madrid had started to move all their transfer machinery into place and, up until the beginning of this week, there was optimism within the club about signing Yoro. This was because the 18-year-old centre-back was clear from the outset that Real Madrid was the place he wanted to be and had made this clear to all parties, including the other clubs interested in him.
Yoro impressed for Ligue 1 side Lille (Franco Arland/Getty Images)
According to sources close to the deal, it was all dependent on the player, who was keen to wait until the end of his contract with Lille and leave in 2025 as a free agent.
It was one of the options raised during meetings with the player’s camp, although Madrid did move to try to sign him in 2024. To that end, they presented an initial offer of around €25million (£21m; $27.3m) with bonuses rising to more than €30million to Lille.
However, Real executives did not want to go higher than this offer. They wanted to wait because they understood Lille were not going to accept anything against the wishes of the defender. However, Manchester United were still in the race, moving in the shadows knowing that the French club would favour their higher proposal.
Even so, Madrid believed in the timing of the operation and in the player’s desire to move to the Spanish capital.
That’s why the turn of events this week was not only unexpected but also a significant blow.
As The Athletic had already reported, Yoro was considered a ‘generational talent’ at the club and was needed to complete the squad.
Antonio Rudiger, 31, and Jesus Vallejo, 27, are the club’s only healthy centre-backs. Militao, 26, only returned at the end of last season after an anterior cruciate ligament injury and Alaba is still recovering from a similar but more complicated injury that will not see him return until at least October.
This situation comes on top of Nacho’s departure to Al Qadsiah and the sale of Rafa Marin, who could have stayed with the club but was sold to Napoli with an option to buy him back from 2026.
Carlo Ancelotti would like a new centre-back (Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Equally, the news reported by The Athletic that Yoro is joining United has unsettled Madrid fans, who were not talking about any other names.
Although the French centre-back is the only defender Madrid had made a move for, the club has alternatives in its sights.
Voices with knowledge of Real Madrid’s scouting speak of Serie A as a possible source to bring in a centre-back.
However, it is not yet clear if Madrid will go for a player now and even senior voices at the club, consulted by The Athletic, claim that they are also considering not signing anyone after failing to convince Yoro.
If it were up to Carlo Ancelotti, a centre-back would be signed — the manager had already asked for one in January. One of the reasons given to Ancelotti for not bringing in someone six months ago was that the summer market would contain significantly better options to reinforce the squad.
On the other hand, it remains to be seen whether the money not used to sign Yoro will be reinvested in another target, such as Alphonso Davies. However, given the 23-year-old operates in a different position (left-back or left wing) and that Bayern Munich are reluctant to sell at the moment, it is not clear that this will be the case.
Another option considered from the outset in squad planning is using Tchouameni, normally a midfielder, as a central defender, a position he occupied several times last season.
Either way, the Yoro deal has shown that, with the arrival of INEOS at Manchester United, there is a newly effective operator in the transfer market. Real Madrid, who have found success in the market through shrewd and careful planning, will need to redouble those efforts to compete with the financial pulling power of the Premier League — Manchester United included.
(Top photo: Sebastien Salon-Gomis/AFP via Getty Images)
