Klopp to shatter Ratcliffe vision as Liverpool rival Man Utd in race to sign €90m-rated, 18 y/o sensation

Liverpool are among the sides now strongly considering a move to sign top Lille defender Leny Yoro and could yet end Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s dreams of bringing the teenage talent to Manchester United this summer, according to reports in France.

The British billionaire’s £1.3bn investment into 25 per cent of Manchester United is now not expected to be officially finalised until February, although the 71-year-old already has his feet as good as under the table at Old Trafford. And with Sir Dave Brailsford appointed to perform a thorough audit of the way United are being run, it’s fair to say the Ratcliffe regime is already underway at Old Trafford.

In the short term, United are spending the January window to rid themselves of the deadwood in their squad, with Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and next, Alvaro Fernandez, departing Old Trafford.

And with the funds being cleared up by their exits, United want to bring in a new centre forward capable of offering another option up front and to provide cover and competition for raw young talent, Rasmus Hojlund. To that end, the Red Devils have on Monday morning again been linked with a move to sign a prolific Bundesliga striker as well as an iconic former Real Madrid star.

Further down the line, however, Brailsford’s audit is expected to show a United squad that has wasted millions on what may harshly be deemed ‘over-the-hill’ and extremely expensive ageing stars. Sadly for United, both Casemiro (£70) and Raphael Varane (£34m) both fall into that category, with United paying big money for both and affording them giant wages in the process.

And unless Saudi clubs step forward with giant transfer fees, it’s unlikely United will ever see a return on that combined £104m investment.

READ MORE: Ratcliffe ‘in talks’ with teenage sensation as Man Utd hurtle towards €110m double deal

Ratcliffe dreaming of Leny Yoro transfer for Man Utd

As a result, Ratcliffe wants to oversee a radical change in terms of the type of players United target and the club will now instead look to bring in the game’s best young talents – a policy that has served Arsenal well in recent times – and only bring in the game’s big names if they can be landed as free agents. Adrien Rabiot, for example, could fit into the latter box.

However, it is the plan to sign some of the game’s top young stars that will most excite United supporters and give them a transfer vision they can buy into.

The policy is simple: buy the top young stars early, even if it means paying big bucks, and develop them further before one day, if the time comes, making a profit on their return. The signing of Rasmus Hojlund over the summer was a step in that direction and offered an early vision of that future.

Now it’s reported they have their sights set on a move for Lille defender Yoro, who at 18, has enjoyed a breakthrough season with Les Dogues, making 21 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals.

A composed defender, who reads the game well and is hard to beat, Yoro, who stands at an imposing 6ft 3in, has drawn favourable comparisons with Arsenal’s William Saliba.

Indeed, reports earlier this month claimed Ratcliffe had earmarked Yoro as a priority summer signing for United and has already held talks with his representatives over a possible summer deal.

And according to reports in France, Lille had responded by slapping a prohibitive €90m (£77.6m) fee on the teenager’s head.

Man Utd face Liverpool fight for Lille defender

Their record sale stands at the €80m (£72m) Arsenal paid for Nicolas Pepe in summer 2019.

By all accounts, they expect to beat that if and when the time comes for Yoro to depart.

However, according to Telefoot, the French publication now also claims that Liverpool are seriously considering a move for the talented centre-half.

And according to the report, Jurgen Klopp is also a huge admirer of the player and sees him as an ideal long-term heir to the brilliantly-consistent Virgil van Dijk, who despite returning to his best this season, will turn 32 over the summer.

To that end, planning for his ultimate succession is already underway at Anfield – with Klopp reportedly earmarking Yoro as next in line.

And with Liverpool likely to keep their powder dry this January, the Merseysiders are said to be gearing up for a major summer raid for both Yoro and Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio are the Liverpool focus turns towards strengthening the heart of their defence.

However, the Premier League pair will not get things their own way as far as Yoro is concerned. The France U21 international is also predictably wanted by both Real Madrid and PSG, who have also deployed scouts to make regular checks on the 18-year-old’s progress.

Yoro’s deal at Lille is currently due to expire in summer 2025 and Lille are desperately trying to convince the player to sign an extension, possibly with the help of an exit clause to both protect their valuation and give the defender hope of a future big-money transfer.

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