RUBEN AMORIM FIRES UNUSUAL WARNING TO LENY YORO

The Man Utd boss also had some choice words for returning striker Matheus Cunha.

Leny Yoro had a day to forget against Crystal Palace. / James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim warned Leny Yoro that his visible devastation towards his performance against Crystal Palace last time out cannot be allowed to happen again.

The Red Devils endured a nightmare first half against Palace. While the entire team underperformed, Yoro attracted significant criticism after giving away the penalty from which Jean-Philippe Mateta put the Eagles ahead.

Yoro was replaced in the 54th minute, just seconds before United began their two-goal comeback, and looked incredibly upset as he arrived at the bench. Even after the game, when United were applauding their travelling fans, an evidently emotional Yoro had to be comforted by Mason Mount.

As he thanked Mount for his show of support, Amorim admitted: “I also spoke with [Yoro] because he thinks too much. He makes a mistake in the game and then he struggles because he’s too young and he wants to do everything so well. He’s growing with games and with setbacks; it’s not easy for him as a young guy.

“He cannot give that [reaction] to the people, the way he came to the bench. He understands that, but he was really frustrated. It shows he cares. He knows it wasn’t his best game, but he did some things well and I showed him that. He’s fit and ready for the next challenge.”

Amorim: Pressure Also Weighing on Matheus Cunha

Matheus Cunha is nearing a return from a head injury. / Alex Pantling/Getty Images

United’s manager has taken a particularly harsh approach to man management in recent weeks. Left back Patrick Dorgu was brutally challenged over his perceived anxiety on the ball before being dropped for the Palace game, and Amorim also had some stern words for the returning Matheus Cunha.

The Brazil international, a £62.5 million ($83.2 million) signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer, has netted just once in his first 11 appearances for United and will be hoping to add to that tally in his expected return from a head injury against West Ham United on Thursday.

“[Cunha] was struggling because he was not scoring and he was thinking too much about the numbers,” Amorim said. “The influence that he has in the team is so important for us, but I think Cunha has so much to grow defensively and offensively.

“I think he has more levels to go. He’s in a different club, different pressure. He coped with that really well, but he feels that he wants to score, he wants to assist.”

Amorim concluded: “I think he struggled with these two games out. He was struggling because he wants to play and he has fun playing the game and that is so important in our team—he wants the pressure, the challenge, so I think it was not a good thing for him to stop playing. He watched a lot of players playing well, especially in his position, so he is not happy.

“On Thursday maybe he will have the opportunity to come back and to score again or assist.”

- Tom Gott

MAN UNITED 'WANT TO SELL' TOP STAR 'TO COVER COST' OF ONE 'BLOCKBUSTER SIGNING' IN THE SUMMER

Alejandro Balde could replace Alejandro Garnacho in the summer transfer window.

Man Utd will look to sell Alejandro Garnacho in the summer transfer window in order to fund a move for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, according to reports.

The Red Devils are currently 13th in the Premier League table as they continue their terrible form this season with a crucial clash against 14th-placed Tottenham coming up on Sunday.

Man Utd have failed to improve under new boss Ruben Amorim after the Portuguese coach replaced Erik ten Hag in November with the Red Devils winning just four of their 14 Premier League matches during his tenure.

The Red Devils, who had Erik ten Hag in charge at the time, spent around £180m on new signings in the summer transfer window with Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte arriving.

However, that recruitment drive negatively impacted the January transfer window with new manager Amorim afforded one new player in Patrick Dorgu from Lens.

Man Utd are reportedly close to their Premier League profit and sustainability (PSR) limit with the Red Devils even considering sales of young players like Kobbie Mainoo and Garnacho to balance the books.

And now Spanish publication Fichajes claims that Man Utd ‘have a plan to sign a Barcelona star’ in the summer transfer window as they look to give Amorim more balance to his squad.

It is understood that Man Utd ‘want to sell’ Garnacho ‘to cover the cost of a blockbuster signing’ in the form of Barcelona left-back Balde.

The Red Devils are ‘planning an ambitious strategy to strengthen their squad in the upcoming summer transfer market’ with the Spain international becoming ‘a priority target’.

Man Utd are ‘willing to part’ with Argentina international Garnacho ‘whose sale could provide the necessary funds to complete the arrival of the left-back from FC Barcelona’.

Garnacho has proved effective in spells off the bench but is struggling to find a long-term place in Amorim’s starting XI as the Man Utd boss could look to better suited players for his system and style of play.

It is claimed that Amorim ‘highly values his impact on the team and his performance in key moments’ but that ‘United’s delicate financial situation and the need to strengthen the defence could mean the Argentine is the sacrificial piece in the summer’.

On Balde, Amorim ‘believes that his incorporation would strengthen the left wing, where the team is still looking for solutions despite the recent arrival of Patrick Dorgu’.

Barcelona ‘will not let him go easily’ with Balde valued at around €50m by the Catalan giants, while a Garnacho sale shouldn’t be a problem after January interest from both Napoli and Chelsea.

- Joe Williams

MAN UNITED'S DAN ASHWORTH LEAVES AS SPORTING DIRECTOR - SOURCES

Dan Ashworth has left his position as sporting director at Manchester United after just five months, sources have told ESPN.

Ashworth officially arrived in July after a settlement -- running into millions of pounds -- was reached with former club Newcastle United.

The 53-year-old was seen as a key part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's revamp at Old Trafford along with technical director Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada. But he has departed after overseeing just one transfer window and less than a month after the arrival of new head coach Ruben Amorim.

Sources have told ESPN that Ashworth's move to Old Trafford has not worked out and a decision has been taken to part company. He was at Old Trafford for the 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Ashworth played a central role -- along with Wilcox and Berrada -- in choosing Amorim as Erik ten Hag's successor. Ten Hag was sacked in October after a miserable start to the new season.

Ashworth oversaw the arrival of five major signings in the summer, with Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee arriving for combined fees of more than £180 million ($229.3m).

Defeat to Forest left United 13th in the Premier League table with 19 points -- their lowest tally after 15 games since 1986. They face FC Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

HOW MAN UNITED IMPROVED THEIR STILL-FLAWED TRANSFER STRATEGY

Does the signing of Joshua Zirkzee signal a shift in Manchester United's transfer strategy? Yes, but it's not a big enough one to compete in the Premier League. Manchester United via Getty Images

There was at least one head-scratcher every summer.

Last year, it was €64 million for an out-of-form and one-year-left-on-his-contract Mason Mount. Prior to that? €71 million for a 30-year-old Casemiro. And one year before that: The disaster that was the second Cristiano Ronaldo era.

Among the many reasons why Manchester United have underperformed their resources over the past decade, the biggest might be they waste so much money in the transfer market.

The decision-makers at Man United seemed to be totally unaware of things such as age curves, negotiating leverage, contract lengths and positional value. Year after year, they'd pay premium fees for stars who were on the downswing of their careers, guys who no one else was interested in for similar prices, ones with limited time left on their contracts, or players who didn't do the things needed in that position.

Each move further decayed United's financial advantage over their rivals and ultimately created what we saw last season: an eighth-place finish and a team that conceded more goals than it scored.

But with new minority owners Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos overseeing the club's soccer operations, and Dan Ashworth appointed as the club's sporting director, that was all supposed to change. Early signs suggest that it has: Their first two signings this summer are a combined 41 years old, and their other reported targets are early-prime players with Champions League pedigrees.

So, is that it? Are Manchester United simply going to function like a normal soccer club now and see their results rise up to meet their resources? Not quite. Or at least, not yet.

It's a free season at Old Trafford

I've written approximately 600 articles about this over the past 10 months, but it bears repeating as a bit of table-setting: Manchester United were one of the worst teams in the Premier League last season.

They were eighth in the table, both by points (60) and goal differential (minus-1). But it was even worse than that. Their expected-goal differential of minus-12.5 was just the 15th-best mark in the league.

Ben Torvaney -- formerly an analyst with AC Milan and now employed at the consultancy helmed by Ian Graham, Liverpool's former head of research -- has done a bunch of publicly available research on the predictiveness of various metrics from one season to the next. When comparing goals to expected goals, he found that "the increase in predictive accuracy we get from using xG over goals is in the same ballpark as the difference between using goals scored/conceded vs. no team strength information at all."

That's a start; however, he later realized that a blend of xG and goals was even better -- a mixture of about 70% xG and 30% G being the sweet spot. "This suggests that teams with large differences between their xG tallies and actual goals are doing good/bad things that the xG models aren't picking up on," he wrote.

So, we can take a simplified version of this and create a goal rating that is an average of a team's xG differential and goal differential, weighted 70% to the former and 30% to the latter. Here's how those numbers look from this past Premier League season:.

Based on this, Man United head into next season with a predicted team strength of about the 14th-best team in the league. But let's be generous and bump that up to 10th. I'm not sure we should, but they're in a tier with about six other teams, ranging from Crystal Palace in 10th and Fulham in 16th. We'll say without so many injuries, United leap up to 10th, at the top of that tier.

So, even with that generous reading, United are way off from being a Champions League contender. Although a club of this size should not only be contending for Champions League qualification but contending to win the whole thing, United likely are not in either category. This means two things: (1) The roster is terrible, so you can sign nearly anyone at any position and assume it's an upgrade, and (2) They can target players who are more likely to help them in a couple seasons, rather than right now.

Failure has become a kind of freedom.

Why Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee signify something new

Manchester United's first signing this summer was Joshua Zirkzee, a 23-year-old forward from Serie A upstarts Bologna.

I don't love the signing mainly because he's a center-forward who doesn't score goals: nine non-penalty goals from 7.4 non-penalty xG across 32 league starts. Per 90 minutes, he averaged 0.24 npxG -- or, just one one-hundredth ahead of what definitely-not-a-terrible-signing and Man United winger Antony averaged last season.

However, he's big, moves well, and is proficient at almost everything else. More often than not, these are the kinds of players coaches mistakenly fall in love with -- the ones who look good on highlight reels and in little moments of buildup play but who ultimately never do the one thing that really matters. But there's also a world where he develops a little more in front of goal, while maintaining all of his other in-possession skills.

The specifics aren't really all that important for now anyway. Per the site Transfermarkt, United paid €42.5 million to acquire Zirkzee. Top young prospects usually require about 10-15% of a club's revenue, but Zirkzee's fee makes up 6% of United's most recently reported revenue. This fee suggests a squad player, rather than a star.

That, however, is not the case for Leny Yoro, the 18-year-old center-back from Lille whom United acquired for €62 million -- the highest fee paid for a player so far this summer. Yoro doesn't turn 19 until November, and he's already played nearly 3,500 minutes in Ligue 1. Among pure center-backs 18 and under, only three others have played more minutes in a "Big Five" top European league this century: Rio Ferdinand, Kurt Zouma, and Malang Sarr.

Those names, I think, are a pretty good representation of the possible outcomes for Yoro. Ferdinand is an all-time-great world-class player. Zouma was a borderline Champions League-level player, and Sarr just moved back to France after a failed few years with Chelsea.

For all the talk of Yoro as the next great French center-back, there's still a ton of projection for a player of his age. And while it's still quite hard to quantify center-back performance, there isn't a ton of statistical signal to Yoro's performance thus far. He wins a slightly above average number of aerial duels and a below average number of tackles, while attempting few of each.

On the ball, he completes more than 90% of his passes, but he ranked 29th among Ligue 1 center-backs for the value he provided with his passes -- and second among center-backs on his own team. These are all of his passes that increased Lille's likelihood of scoring a goal by at least half of a percentage point:

But even with the question marks, this still feels like a gamble United can afford to make. The fee is about 8% of their most recent revenues, and that still falls slightly below the 10-15% range that it usually requires for a team to acquire a top prospect in their economic bracket.

Using the formula from a piece I wrote last week, we can apply a projection to both of these transfers. Looking at the 100 biggest transfers of the past four seasons, we can see which factors most predicted future success, as defined by the player's market value, one year after the transfer, being higher than the initial transfer fee.

Zirkzee is 23, and his crowd-sourced market value on Transfermarkt is €50 million, while Yoro is 18, with the same market value. Add in Zirkzee's €42.5 million fee and Yoro's €62 million acquisition cost, and the former is expected to see a 20.3% increase in value, while the latter is projected for a 27.8% increase.

While there are concerns with both players, they've paid not-far-off-market value fees for a pair of young players who still haven't hit their primes. For United, that's a large step in the right direction.

But there's always a 'but' with Man United

The results are sound enough, but the process isn't as inspiring.

We'll start with the manager. We all assumed Erik ten Hag would be gone as manager by now, but maybe the FA Cup win saved him -- or perhaps Dan Ashworth just wants to wait until Gareth Southgate is ready to return to the club game. Whatever the reason, the club activated the one-year option on his deal, extending the Dutchman's contract through the end of the 2025-26 season.

I don't think this is necessarily a ringing endorsement of Ten Hag. A ringing endorsement would've been an immediate contract extension at the end of the season -- rather than an announcement on July 4. The club didn't want to go into the season with a so-called "lame duck manager" with just a year left on his deal, so they added another one on to the end. Given that logic, "two years left on his contract" is the new "one year left on his contract."

And so, United, the club, have a freeroll of a season where immediate results shouldn't matter too much. But they also have a manager who probably feels the need to produce short-term results so he can get another contract extension so he doesn't go into next season with a year left on his deal. Put simply, United's front office needs to have a long-term vision for the club and they've given their manager the bare-minimum length of commitment. This seems like it could be a problem.

As our Rob Dawson wrote when United announced Ten Hag's one-year extension: "Ten Hag will remain on the existing terms of his contract, meaning he will keep the transfer veto which formed part of the agreement when he arrived from Ajax in 2022."

The dysfunction of the Ten Hag era at United can be summed up by just how many acquired players have some kind of previous connection to Ten Hag. Before this summer, four of the 16 players signed under the current manager previously played for the current manager. Three more are either Dutch or played in the Dutch league. And a further one, Rasmus Højlund, is represented by the same agency as the United manager.

For a club like United, who can pay competitive wages with every other team in the world, there's no universe where their optimal targets all just so happen to have these direct connections to the guy coaching the team. As I wrote a few months ago, it means either (1) Man United have limited their scouting to players in the current manager's orbit, or (2) Man United have a manager whose past success hinged on a specific set of talent. Neither instills confidence.

In Zirkzee, it's another Dutch player. And two of United's other reported targets this summer are center-back Matthijs de Ligt and fullback Noussair Mazraoui, both of whom played for Ten Hag at Ajax. Their other reported connection is to PSG defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte, who is represented by Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes, who also represents Yoro.

The only target who falls outside of this group is Everton's center-back Jarrad Branthwaite, but he couldn't be much different from De Ligt. In 3,000-plus minutes last year, Branthwaite completed 74 progressive passes. In fewer than 1,500 minutes for Bayern, De Ligt completed 98. Why are these your two targets for the same position?

But even with all of the inefficiencies laid over these moves, it still is better than what came before.

Mazraoui is 26 -- not young in soccer years -- but De Ligt is 24, Ugarte 23, and Branthwaite 22. The reported fees for almost all of them would project well based on their ages and consensus market values. Only the €70 million-plus that Everton want for Branthwaite seems like it would not age well.

So, with United's new football leadership, there has been a pretty clear shift in approach. It's just that it's an improved version of the way things were already being done.

If United fans were hoping for a complete break from the past, a new and innovative approach to building a soccer team on a big budget that clearly puts the club back on track to challenging for the league and the Champions League, they're going to have to wait. If that's ever going to happen, it won't be for at least another summer.

- Ryan O'Hanlon, ESPN.com writer

SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW: GRADING BIG SIGNINGS IN MEN'S SOCCER ⚽

Photo: Antonio Villalba

 Premier League clubs spent £100 million in the 2024 January transfer window -- the lowest single-window expenditure in the men's game since 2012 (£60m) and a significant drop from the record £815m splashed out in 2023, according to Deloitte.

After record-breaking spending in the past three transfer windows, things seem to have slowed. But English clubs' total spending of £2.5 billion during the 2023-24 season was still the second-highest ever, and across the rest of Europe's Big Five leagues, January spending actually rose from €255m to €455m.

What can we expect this time around? Here are grades for all the major confirmed summer transfers in the men's game, with each day's moves listed in order of highest fee.

All fees are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk.

July 28

ROBIN LE NORMAND

€34.5m ($37.4m)

Real Sociedad: C

Atlético Madrid: A-

Robin Le Normand is the second Euro 2024 winner to earn a notable move this summer, after Álvaro Morata, as he brings an eight-year stay with Real Sociedad to an end -- and it feels like a bit of a steal.

In the modern game, €34.5m for a prime age (27), hugely experienced and accomplished defender with a near-spotless injury record doesn't seem like much at all. Atleti desperately needed to address this position having said goodbye to two senior centre-backs (Mario Hermoso, Stefan Savic) this summer, and this is an excellent fix. La Real will struggle to replace his quality and overall impact like-for-like.

RAPHAËL VARANE

Free

Como: B

Como are back in Serie A and offering one of the most glamorous market propositions going: Top-level football, managed by Cesc Fàbregas, living by the lake. As a result, experienced players are flocking there, with Raphaël Varane -- who was released by Manchester United when his contract expired at the end of June -- the latest to sign up.

The France international, now into his 14th professional season at the age of 31, may be past his peak (injuries have certainly played a part in that) but he can still produce dominant defensive displays. He'll be a big influence as Como seek to stave off relegation.

July 24

MOUSSA DIABY

£50.5m ($65.3m)

Aston Villa: A

Al Ittihad: A-

Diaby's time in the Premier League was short and (relatively) sweet. Villa did well to beat off competition from the Saudi Pro League to sign him last summer, but just one year on he's made the move. The club should be satisfied with the chunky fee they've received, as it represents a small profit on the £45m they paid in 2023 and Diaby did not finish the season as a key player -- despite a red-hot start to life in England.

The Saudi Pro League will also consider it a win, as it has attracted a renowned, prime-age (25) player to its growing project.

July 22

AMADOU ONANA

£50m ($64.6m)

Aston Villa: B

Everton: A

A big signing, in more ways than one. Villa have paid through the nose to secure the 6-foot-6 Belgium international, who is one of the best young midfielders in England. A fee of £50m will create plenty of expectation, but not only is Onana proven at the top level, he'll slot in alongside fellow Belgian Youri Tielemans, which should help.

Onana has particular strengths, such as aerial duels and box defending, which Villa are crying out for if they're to move forward. It's a loss of talent for Everton but it's also a big fee and an opportunity to strengthen across the board.

PIERRE-EMILE HØJBJERG

Loan

Tottenham: B+

Marseille: B-

Spurs will be happy to get a decent fee for a player whose contract had just a year to run, as the loan contains an obligation to sign him permanently for €20m when it expires. Højbjerg didn't seem to command the trust of Ange Postecoglou -- he only made eight league starts in 2023-24 despite plenty of injury issues affecting the team -- so it's a smart play.

Marseille's summer so far has seen them appoint a manager from Brighton (Roberto De Zerbi), sign a striker from Manchester United (Mason Greenwood), and now a midfielder from Tottenham. Usually it's English clubs plucking talent from Ligue 1, so they're really flipping the script. Højbjerg is a solid addition and a perfect professional. At 28, he's got plenty left in the tank and will anchor the midfield well.

July 18

LENY YORO

€62m (£53.3m; $67.5m)

Lille: A

Manchester United: B+

Yoro is one of the finest young central defenders that football has seen in some time. At just 18 years old, there are some understandably rough edges to his game, but most who see him agree that we're looking at a potential great.

Lille will be sad to lose him after only one full season, but with only one year left on his contract, they're understandably willing to cash in while they can. Some are questioning Man United for paying a significant fee in order to sign someone who would be a free agent in 12 months, but the reality is that if they don't buy him now, Yoro would be likely holding a Real Madrid shirt this time next year. It does hold them back from an A grade, though.

ÁLVARO MORATA

€13m ($14.2m)

Atletico Madrid: D

AC Milan: A

He is perhaps the ultimate modern journeyman striker, and after captaining Spain to Euro 2024 victory, he embarks on yet another new adventure, this time with AC Milan.

The fee is a very small price to pay for a player whose goal-scoring record at the top level is more than proven, as is his mentality, work ethic and will to win. He even has strong Serie A experience, having won two titles with Juventus in the past.

Ultimately, Atlético Madrid's hand was forced -- Milan activated a release clause -- and they'll have to part with a lot more money in order to sign his replacement.

MASON GREENWOOD

€30m (£25.2m, $32.8m)

Manchester United: B

Marseille: B

Once Manchester United decided Mason Greenwood would not be part of the club moving forward, their goal became simple: find a club willing to spend. All things considered, what they got from the French side isn't bad going.

The loan to Getafe last season, in which he scored eight goals and provided six assists, was an excellent reminder of what he's capable of and was enough to convince Marseille to take him on. He remains a very good footballer, so he should succeed in Ligue 1.

JADEN PHILOGENE

€15.4m (£13m, $19m)

Hull City: C

Aston Villa: A-

Eleven months ago, Jaden Philogene left Aston Villa in search of first-team football despite greatly impressing on their preseason tour. Now, after one stellar campaign in the Championship, he's back.

This price is a bargain for Villa: Ipswich Town had originally agreed an £18m deal, only for Villa to step in, turn his head and use the sell-on clause they negotiated last summer to get a discount. Hull will struggle to replace his quality like for like.

SÁVIO

€40m (£33.7m, $43.6m)

Troyes: A+

Manchester City: A

Sávio was the true breakout star of La Liga last season, scoring nine goals and providing 10 assists and helping Girona into the Champions League. This blazing form came out of nowhere, as his previous campaign consisted of just eight substitute appearances for PSV Eindhoven split up by injury.

Manchester City have seen fit to move him across the CFG portfolio, from Troyes to Girona and now to the Premier League. Pep Guardiola will love his dynamism, burst and unselfish delivery, plus the fact he can operate on either flank without issue. Troyes will love the €40m fee; you'd imagine they can do a lot with that in the French third tier.

GEORGES MIKAUTADZE

€18m ($19.6m)

Metz: B+

Lyon: A

Georges Mikautadze was one of the surprise stars of Euro 2024, scoring three goals as Georgia made history and won admirers across the globe. He's had a curious career so far, but in making this move, you get the impression he's now firmly back on the track to the top.

Both clubs get a strong grade for the deal: Lyon must spend a small sum for a quality, young striker, while for Metz have essentially made a profit after signing him permanently from Ajax despite getting relegated from Ligue 1 last season, safe in the knowledge they'd be able to find him a new club just a few weeks later.

SERHOU GUIRASSY

€18m ($19.5m)

Stuttgart: D

Borussia Dortmund: A-

Serhou Guirassy set the Bundesliga ablaze last season with an incredible goal-scoring campaign, netting 28 from just 25 starts. Those are remarkable, Robert Lewandowski-type numbers. When it was revealed his release clause was a lowly €18m, it became a matter of time before he earned a move to one of Europe's elite. Somewhat predictably, Dortmund have pounced.

The reason we're holding this grade back from a full-blown A is that up until last season, Guirassy had never surpassed 11 league goals in a season; now, suddenly, at age 28, he's scored 28. Is it a one-off? Or the new normal? There's a very small amount of risk here, hence the minus.

July 14

JOSHUA ZIRKZEE

€42.5m (£35.7m, $46m)

Bologna: B

Manchester United: B

Zirkzee was once viewed as Robert Lewandowski's heir at Bayern Munich, but things didn't quite go to plan. Years later, after a long, circuitous route back to the top, he has signed for Man United after an impressive campaign helping Bologna into the Champions League.

Fans may need to be patient with the 23-year-old initially, as they did with Rasmus Højlund, because Zirkzee scored only nine non-penalty goals in Serie A last season. His real brilliance came in linking play, creating chances for others and pressing well.

A €42.5m fee isn't much to stake on a good, young, still developing player -- but the fact that Zirkzee hasn't shown that killer instinct just yet holds him back from an A grade.

July 12

RENATO VEIGA

€14m (£11.8m, $15.2m)

FC Basel: C

Chelsea: A-

Centre-back? Left-back? Defensive midfielder? Veiga is only 20, but so far he has flashed the ability to do all of the above to a strong level. That's an impressive level of versatility for one still learning his trade.

The €14m fee is a small price to pay for such potential, with Veiga standing out as yet another example of Chelsea's strong scouting at younger ages. Exactly how big his role will be to begin with is not clear, but he does profile well as an inverted full-back for new manager Enzo Maresca.

July 11

JOÃO PALHINHA

€50m (£43m, $54.8m)

Fulham: C

Bayern Munich: B

Last summer, on deadline day, Bayern got Palhinha all the way to Munich, through a medical and even into a photo shoot in the kit ... only for the €65m deal to then fall through. A year on, they've acted much earlier and sealed the deal; this time, they got their man even cheaper.

Palhinha has been incredible for Fulham: A duel-winning machine, a set-piece nuisance and a massive influence on midfield proceedings. He's the best player to wear the shirt for some time and will be impossible to replace like-for-like. The fee is fine, but not quite standout. Bayern clearly see his qualities and, in signing him at age 28, must believe he can have a big impact on their team from the start.

July 10

KHÉPHREN THURAM

€20m ($21.6m)

Nice: B-

Juventus: B+

Juventus' midfield is going to look very different in 2024-25, as Thuram follows hot on the heels of Douglas Luiz signing from Aston Villa. Thuram is a super-smooth midfielder with press-resistant qualities and who can glide through the middle of the park with ease. The issue last season was that he didn't necessarily show these qualities often enough, which may explain why the fee comes fairly cheap.

Perhaps moving to the club his legendary father, Lillian, played for will inspire Khéphren and restore him back to his top level?

July 7

MICHAEL OLISE

€60m (£50.7m; $64.4m)

Crystal Palace: A

Bayern Munich: B

Harry Kane in 2023; Olise in 2024. Bayern are sensing opportunity in the English market in a way they rarely have before. They've plumped for Olise in an attempt to refresh their wing corps, no doubt swayed by the remarkable creative inventiveness and goal-scoring form the Frenchman finished the 2023-24 season in (four goals and three assists in his final six games).

From Palace's perspective, it's a massive fee -- by far the largest in their history -- and it's always better to move players to a club on the continent, as there's significantly less chance Olise will score and break local hearts on a return to Selhurst Park.

July 6

THIAGO ALMADA

$21m (€19.6m)

Atlanta United: B

Botafogo: B

Almada's long-anticipated MLS exit has finally happened, although somewhat surprisingly, he hasn't taken the step to Europe ... yet.

In a curious deal, Almada has initially joined Botafogo with a view to joining French side Lyon later down the line, according to ESPN Brasil. Both clubs are owned by the same group, Eagle Football Holdings. Atlanta will be devastated to lose one of the league's finest players but have at least earned a record MLS fee in return: $21m rising to a potential $29m with add-ons.

July 5

MICHELE DI GREGORIO

€18m ($19.5m)

Monza: C

Juventus: A

It's time for a new era between the sticks for Juventus. After seven years and over 250 appearances for the Old Lady, Wojciech Szczesny will move on to new things; in his place comes Di Gregorio, who has shot to prominence thanks to an incredible 2023-24 campaign with Monza.

Statistically speaking, he was the best shot-stopper in Serie A last season, conceding 10.4 fewer goals than expected based on the shots he faced. He also showcased true prowess with the ball at his feet, which is a quality new manager Thiago Motta will be extremely attracted to. All that for just €18m? It's a brilliant deal for Juve.

July 4

DAVID RAYA

£27m ($34.3m)

Brentford: B-

Arsenal: B+

Arsenal made Raya's loan deal permanent for £27m (plus £3m in add-ons) after an excellent 2023-24 campaign. He took little time to usurp Aaron Ramsdale and then never looked back, contributing strongly to the Premier League's best defensive unit. The price they've ended up paying feels like it's on the cheap side for a trusty, dependable No. 1, and it's clear he has earned great faith from Mikel Arteta and the coaching staff.

There's no risk to this deal whatsoever. The only thing holding it back from an A grade is that Raya still has a way to go before he can be considered one of the world's best at his position, but at 28 there's still room for him to grow.

July 2

ARCHIE GRAY

£40m ($50.7m)

Leeds United: A

Tottenham: B

Failure to get promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking comes with many costs, chief among them the loss of treasured players. To Leeds, Gray was not only a phenomenal prospect and player, but also family: His father (Frank) played for Leeds, while his uncle (Eddie) was a true Leeds great.

At the very least, he's gone for a great fee, and £40m is no small sum to part with for Tottenham, but they'll be rightly confident in Gray as a footballer. When you watch him, it becomes immediately apparent that the midfielder/right-back is highly intelligent and talented in so many ways; his confidence and positional versatility belie the fact that he's still just 18.

KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL

£30m ($38m)

Leicester City: D

Chelsea: B+

Dewsbury-Hall reunites with manager Enzo Maresca at Chelsea. They combined to guide Leicester City to promotion to the Premier League last season and will now combine at Stamford Bridge. It's a solid addition for the Blues. Dewsbury-Hall is a good player who will help with the squad's adaption to a very different new style -- although he doesn't solve any problem positions for Chelsea.

From Leicester's perspective, though, they've not only lost arguably their best player upon promotion, but the fee seems pretty low compared to some of the other deals being struck around this time.

July 1

ENDRICK

€72m ($77.3m)

Palmeiras: A+

Real Madrid: A-

There are plenty in Brazil who believe that we're looking at football's next great No. 9 striker. And when Brazilians say that, you sit up and listen -- they know a thing or two about what makes a goal scorer. Securing his signature early continues Real Madrid's quest to hoover up all of the best Brazilian talent, with Endrick following in the recent footsteps of Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo. Though he can't join officially until he turns 18 on July 21 because of FIFA regulations.

It's a lot of money to spend on a teenager, but he's quite experienced for his age, having clocked more than 50 top-level appearances in South America, and he's off the mark for his nation too. Moving to Real Madrid is a huge step, but the evidence so far suggests he'll take it in his stride.

IGOR THIAGO

€35m (£30m, $38m)

Club Brugge: A

Brentford: B

Brentford are almost always one step ahead of the game, and in agreeing to sign Thiago well ahead of the transfer window they've prepared well for whatever may happen this summer with regard to the potential departures of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo.

Thiago was named Europa Conference League Young Player of the Season after scoring five goals for Club Brugge, showcasing strength, powerful shooting and a love for the rough-and-tumble side of forward play -- which is a good sign when it comes to transitioning to the Premier League, as it's a big step and nothing is guaranteed.

LUIS GUILHERME

€30m (£25.3m, $32.4m)

Palmeiras: A

West Ham: B

Endrick is not the only talented teenager from Palmeiras on the move this summer, as Luis Guilherme became an early statement signing for West Ham. He's still fairly inexperienced at senior level (he has just five league starts to his name) but has shown flashes of great potential both off the bench for his club and for Brazil in youth tournaments.

His turn of pace is good, as is his control in tight spaces, but as ESPN's South American expert Tim Vickery notes, he has work to do on his weaker right foot. This is both an exciting signing for the Hammers and yet another big transfer windfall for Palmeiras.

CHARLES DE KETELAERE

€24m ($25.7m)

AC Milan: B

Atalanta: A

De Ketelaere's €32m move to AC Milan from Club Brugge in 2022 simply did not work out, but at Atalanta he seems to have found a home. He made 25 league starts while on loan there last season, scoring 10 and assisting eight, plus he played a significant role in La Dea's Europa League win in May.

For Atalanta, making him a permanent fixture just makes sense; the fee is pretty reasonable for a 23-year-old attacking midfielder who they already know suits the team and manager. For Milan, there's certainly some lost potential at play, but recouping a decent amount of the original fee allows them to strengthen other areas of the squad.

HIROKI ITO

€23m ($25m)

Stuttgart: B

Bayern Munich: A

Stuttgart's rise to second place in the Bundesliga was one of the stories of the 2023-24 season, but even securing Champions League football hasn't stopped the top teams moving for their top players.

It's a blow for Stuttgart to lose such an important player; Ito was excellent in splitting his time between left-back and centre-back for a defence that conceded just 39 goals. No doubt that versatility and flexibility -- along with the fact he's left-footed -- was key to Bayern's interest. Only Benjamin Pavard (€35m) has left Stuttgart for a bigger fee in the club's history, but even still, in this market, €30m might feel a touch low in their eyes.

MATVEY SAFONOV

€20m ($21.4m)

Krasnodar: A

PSG: B

It can be tough for goalkeepers to earn top-level exposure when they're young, but Safonov broke into Krasnodar's first-team as a teenager in 2018 and never looked back. Now 25, he's Russia's No. 1, has more than 175 appearances under his belt and is ready for the next step.

PSG is a slightly odd landing spot, given the goalkeeping quality already present, but the capital club have never been shy about adding depth and quality in that position. Safonov will now battle Italy No. 1 Gianluigi Donnarumma and Spain's Under-19 European Championship winner in Arnau Tenas for playing time; serial Champions League winner Keylor Navas will depart the club this summer.

TAYLOR HARWOOD-BELLIS

£20m ($25.5m)

Manchester City: A-

Southampton: A

Harwood-Bellis was a vital cog in Southampton's successful charge to promotion in 2023-24, starting 43 games in the heart of defence and showcasing incredible poise and prowess on the ball. He quickly became key to a possession-based style that swept opponents away with ease.

Achieving promotion triggered a £20m clause for Saints to sign him permanently, and it's a deal that perfectly suits all parties: Southampton have paid an acceptable fee for an excellent young English defender, Harwood-Bellis can finally test himself fully at Premier League level and Man City continue to make good money from allowing their academy players to leave, which is key to funding their spending.

IBRAHIM OSMAN

€18.95m (£16m, $20.4m)

Nordsjaelland: A

Brighton: B+

Over the past five years or so, FC Nordsjaelland have produced a litany of exciting young wingers who have all made big moves to top European clubs: Mohammed Kudus headed to Ajax (then West Ham), Ernest Nuamah signed for Lyon, Kamaldeen Sulemana moved to Rennes (then Southampton); and Osman is the next off the production line.

Brighton know exactly what they're doing here, as two years ago they signed winger Simon Adingra from the Danish club and have now returned for Osman. He scored six goals and had seven assists in the Danish Superliga in 2023-24 and some of his goals were absolutely spectacular.

ASSAN OUÉDRAOGO

€10m (£8.5m, $10.8m)

Schalke 04: C

RB Leipzig: A

Schalke have a rich history of producing fine footballers from their academy -- Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sané and Mesut Özil spring to mind -- and it looks like Ouédraogo could be the next to have developed there.

He was ripe for the picking thanks to Schalke's struggles in the second division and a lowly €10m release clause, although there is a chance they'll get him back on loan after a summer assessment. Leipzig have played the role Bayern Munich traditionally do here, swooping in early for top domestic talent in determined fashion.

LUCAS BERGVALL

€10m (£8.5m, $10.8m)

Djurgårdens: A

Spurs: A

Back in February, Spurs agreed to the signing of Bergvall ahead of Barcelona and will welcome him to the club this summer. It's a big move that completes his meteoric rise from the Swedish second division to the Premier League in just two years.

Each club gets an A grade, as it's a deal that works for all. A fee of €10m isn't a lot for Spurs to put down on a player who is full of potential, and having graduated from the same academy as Dejan Kulusevski in Sweden, the 18-year-old will have help settling in. But €10m is a lot for Djurgårdens, though; in fact, it's the biggest outgoing transfer fee in Allsvenskan history.

MARC GUIU

€6m (£5.1m; $6.4m)

Barcelona: D

Chelsea: B+

The striking thing about the Barcelona academy graduate is that he's not very Barcelona at all. At 6-foot-2, with a centre-forward build and skillset to match, he's a far cry from the type of player you typically associate with La Masia. The 18-year-old burst on to the scene last season, scoring with his first touch on his debut against Athletic Club, but slipped back down the pecking order and ended up back with the B team in April.

After paying his release clause of just €6m, Chelsea were happy to gamble on such a player; Barça, understandably, aren't particularly happy to see him go so soon.

TIMO WERNER

Loan

RB Leipzig: C

Spurs: A

Werner made a positive impact on loan at Spurs last season, so the decision to bring him back for another 12 months was likely an easy one. His direct, quick style of play suited Ange Postecoglou's tactics and his low crosses into the box from the left flank became a feature of their late-season play. Having qualified for the Europa League, Spurs clearly need more players to fill out the squad, so nabbing Werner on loan again -- with a €10m option to sign him permanently in 2025 -- is smart, risk-free business.

From RB Leipzig's perspective, though, it's another year without much of a return from a player they paid €20m to sign from Chelsea in 2022.

KYLIAN MBAPPÉ

Free

PSG: F

Real Madrid: A+

Football's worst-kept secret is finally out in the open. Mbappé, arguably the world's best player, will join the reigning European champions Real Madrid. He makes an already sensational attack even stronger, ensuring everyone will be tuning in to watch Los Blancos in 2024-25.

The Frenchman's whopping signing-on fee (reported to be €100m) means this isn't really a free transfer, but Madrid have capped the cost of a superstar somewhat -- and PSG received absolutely nothing for him, having paid €180m to sign him from Monaco in 2017.

SERGIŇO DEST

Free

Barcelona: C+

PSV Eindhoven: B-

Dest enjoyed an excellent season on loan with PSV Eindhoven in 2023-24, only for a torn ACL to cut his campaign short in April and force him to miss the Copa América for the USMNT too. The Dutch club are taking something of a risk here, gambling on him making a full recovery in 2025, but are unsurprisingly comfortable doing so on the basis it's a free transfer -- having turned down an €11m option to sign him previously.

Barcelona get no transfer fee, having signed him for €20m back in 2020 from Ajax, but ESPN sources confirmed that they will get a percentage of any future transfer fee. They're under pressure to bring their hefty wage bill down for registration purposes anyway, so it's ultimately a deal that seems to suit all parties.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO

Free

Fulham: F

Chelsea: A

With Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) hanging heavily over Premier League clubs, free transfers have arguably never been more attractive. Although Chelsea look pretty well stocked for centre-backs -- Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana, Benoît Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah are already in the squad -- signing Adarabioyo for free makes sense.

Over the past four seasons with Fulham, he has blossomed into a very solid centre-back whose long, threaded passes forward can change a game in an instant. They'll be crestfallen to lose him for nothing, and even more so that he's headed to their west London rivals.

LLOYD KELLY

Free

Bournemouth: D

Newcastle United: A+

Like with Tosin, Kelly quickly marked himself out as one of the most attractive early transfers this summer by virtue of being available for free. He plays both left-back and centre-back -- two positions Newcastle have had terrible injury luck in -- so he feels like an extremely astute addition that potentially solves two problems at once.

Add that to the fact that not only is he homegrown, but he's worked with Magpies manager Eddie Howe before on the south coast, and it's a transfer that just seems clever in every way.

SAMUEL ILING-JUNIOR & ENZO BARRENECHEA

€22m (£18.6m; $23.6m)

Juventus: B

Aston Villa: B

One of Aston Villa's summer targets is to deepen their squad ahead of a Champions League campaign, so scooping up two young talents from Juventus' conveyor belt of next generation excellence is a solid strategy.

Samuel Iling-Junior is returning to England, having successfully made the jump into senior football abroad, and is an exciting, explosive wide player. Enzo Barrenechea is rewarded for a breakout 2023-24 campaign on loan at Frosinone with an intriguing next step. Juve won't be thrilled to lose either of these players, but funds needed to be raised to sign Douglas Luiz.

June 30

DOUGLAS LUIZ

€50m (£42.5m; $53.6m)

Aston Villa: B

Juventus: B

There's no doubt Villa will be distraught to lose Douglas Luiz; he was one of their best players last season and means a lot to the fans, having been at the club since 2019. But Villa's position with regard to Profit and Sustainability Regulation (PSR) rules forced them into allowing a big exit and Luiz was the one to go. A fee of €50m is a lot to receive in return, but it's still a tough one to take.

Villa's loss is Juventus' gain, though, and incoming manager Thiago Motta will love the fact he has a new playmaking midfielder to utilise as a brand new era in Turin begins.

ELLIOT ANDERSON

€50m (£35.5m; $44.4m)

Newcastle United: A

Nottingham Forest: C

Newcastle found themselves needing to make a sale to comply with Profit & Sustainably Rules so, in what has been a theme for the summer, they turned to an academy graduate in their hour of need.

Anderson, 21, was the reluctant pick. He's been a handy squad player for Newcastle over the last few seasons and clocked just over 1,000 Premier League minutes in 2023-24 while battling a back injury. Still, the £35m fee attached to him feels massive, and therefore an awful lot for Forest in terms of investment.

YANKUBA MINTEH

€50m (£33m; $41.7m)

Newcastle United: A

Brighton & Hove Albion: B-

Yankuba Minteh's Newcastle career came and went in a flash! He signed for around €7m in the summer of 2023, headed straight out on loan to Feyenoord for the season, notched 10 goals and five assists in just 1,463 Eredivisie minutes, and has now moved to Brighton more than four times that initial fee.

He's a reluctant, yet lucrative and necessary transfer for the Magpies who were under pressure to make some money on outgoings. For Brighton, it's yet another young talented in the door -- although at a significantly higher price than we're used to seeing.

OMARI HUTCHINSON

€50m (£20m; $25.3m)

Chelsea: C+

Ipswich Town: A

Ipswich Town smashed their transfer record to sign Omari Hutchinson permanently following his exceptional loan spell at Portman Road in 2023-24. He got better as the season went on, developing into a key player who scored 10 goals, assisted five, provided some stunning moments and pressed extremely effectively from the front.

Undoubtedly, this is a big get for Ipswich, who need quality difference-makers if they're to survive a Premier League campaign. Chelsea book a tidy profit, which is no bad thing in 2024, but it's hard to escape the feeling that for a player of Hutchinson's potential, £20m may end up looking a little cheap in the end.

June 29

OMARI KELLYMAN

£19m ($24.1m)

Aston Villa: A

Chelsea: B

Chelsea's quest to hoover up as much young potential as possible has continued this summer with the signing of Kellyman. The 18-year-old joined Villa from Derby County two years ago and is now on the move once again.

In the handful of senior minutes Kellyman received last season, he looked a player brimming with potential -- smooth on the turn, clever in his positioning and capable of playing across the forward line or as the No. 10. Villa will be sad to lose such a player, but it still goes down as a great bit of business from their point of view, as the club were under pressure to generate revenue ahead of June 30's PSR deadline.

June 28

IAN MAATSEN

£37.5m ($47.7m)

Chelsea: A

Aston Villa: B

As the cliché goes, qualifying for the Champions League opens up fresh possibilities for clubs in the transfer market. Aston Villa are the latest to take advantage of this, signing Netherlands left-back Maatsen in part thanks to their new position among Europe's elite.

Maatsen shone on loan at Borussia Dortmund over the second half of last season, playing a key role in the German side's run to the Champions League final. He's both a significant addition to Unai Emery's side and a significant source of funds for Chelsea, who found themselves under PSR pressure ahead of the June 30 deadline.

- Sam Tighe

ERIK TEN HAG WARNS MANCHESTER UNITED NEED DEPTH FOR 'SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST '

Getty Images 

 Erik ten Hag is concerned that Manchester United need to “catch up on squad depth” with the manager worried that the 60-plus injuries his side suffered last season could happen again due to the load on players.

United have already signed the defender Leny Yoro and forward Joshua Zirkzee this summer. The manager is also pursuing a full-back – Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui is a target – plus a defensive midfielder, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte of interest.

United finished eighth last season, a Premier League-era low mark for the club, and Ten Hag stated that while his first XI is competitive, more quality is required to mitigate against injury.

“We already had very good two buys,” the Dutchman said. “So when everyone is fit we have a team who can beat everyone, but the squad depth we have to catch up because we had injuries.

“We are vulnerable and we have to avoid this by getting less injuries and second, our squad has to be that good,” Ten Hag added. “The quality we have in depth, we have to catch up, but even more because this season will be the survival of the fittest.”

Ten Hag also warned that the events of last season, where a high number of players were struck down by injury, could be repeated. “It can happen again,” he said. “I just mentioned it, it’s survival of the fittest. One of the important things is for you to cover medical [excellence] and performance . The players have to work in the right way because the standards are so high and you have to fulfil them, the highest standards, not only on game day but every day.

“[There are] so many reasons [for the high number],” he added. “The amount of games. The fixture list. The load on the players, the pressure on the players is so high and we are not the only team with so many injuries, we were not even the worst [last term]. Also, bad luck, we had them at the end of the season in the back four and it cost us a lot of points. The load and pressure on players is immense, with the new model in Europe [competitions] next season.”

Ten Hag stated that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos-led assessment of his candidacy to remain as manager, which involved consulting numerous potential replacements, is now forgotten.

“We are now in a new season, we left everything behind, we are looking forward,” the 54-year-old said. “It’s a great project, the process is nice, we go with ups and downs … now we are very energised, good dynamic, good spirit, looking forward, we want to work and we want to win.

“I never think if I’m in a strong position or weak position [now],” added Ten Hag, who has extended his contract at Old Trafford to June 2026. “I want to collaborate, I can’t do this on my own. Players, staff, leadership, everyone [has to help], and I’m sure we will have even more success.”

Marcus Rashford suffered a disappointing campaign last term, scoring only eight goals in all competitions. Ten Hag has backed his striker to return to form after missing out on England’s squad for Euro 2024.

“Rashford can only improve himself, he is capable, he scores so many goals and at a relatively young age he has already scored so many goals, so he is capable of it,” the manager said. “I am confident and have 100% belief he can do the same as two years ago.”

United have appointed Andreas Georgson as a first-team coach, with the Swede having departed Norway’s Lillestrøm, where he had been head coach since January. The club’s next pre-season fixture is against Arsenal at LA’s SoFi Stadium on Saturday evening.

MAN UNITED BOSS TEN HAG BACKES SANCHO TO 'CLICK' AFTER 'MISTAKE'

Jadon Sancho played his first match for Man United in almost a year against Rangers at Murrayfield on Saturday. Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has backed Jadon Sancho to "click" after his return to the club following a public fallout between the pair last season.

Sancho made his first appearance for Man United since last August in a preseason friendly against Rangers on Saturday.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at former club Borussia Dortmund, reaching the UEFA Champions League final, after publicly criticising Ten Hag in a social media post.

But after holding a meeting with Ten Hag earlier this month, Sancho has returned to training with the first team.

"We spoke well," told Dutch outlet AD Sportwereld before Saturday's 2-0 friendly win. "Everyone can make a mistake. If the player reflects on this well, you draw a line and move on.

"This club needs good players, and one thing is certain: Jadon Sancho is a very good player. I hope that we will still click and that he will contribute to our success."

Despite intense speculation over his future, Ten Hag signed a new contract to remain Man United manager this summer. The former Ajax boss took over at Old Trafford in 2022 from interim boss Ralf Ragnick, who had said that the club needed "open-heart" surgery in order to return to their former glories.

"Rangnick was absolutely right," Ten Hag added to AD Sportwereld. "We have been working very hard on this for two years, but he said it exactly right: it is a thorough, very complex operation. And I knew when I started that it was going to be a tough job."

The structure in place around Ten Hag has changed dramatically in recent months following the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as minority owner. Ten Hag described the early signs of working alongside new sporting director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell as "very good."

Already this summer, United have signed teenage French defender Leny Yoro for an initial fee of €62 million ($67.6m), as well as Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee for more than €40 million ($43m) from Bologna.

The club also continue to hold an interest in defenders Matthijs de Ligt of Bayern Munich and Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, sources have told ESPN.

"I will not specifically comment on whether or not we attract those two names," Ten Hag said in the interview. "It remains to be seen whether De Ligt will come. I know Matthijs well and I will not deny that.

"I wanted to sign him two years ago but at that time, he was already very far along to join Bayern Munich but believe it or not, his name did not come from me in the process."

- ESPN 

MAN UNITED CONFIRM LENY YORO TRANSFER, BEATBMADRID TO SIGNING

Leny Yoro has signed for Manchester United. Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images

 Manchester United have completed the signing of 18-year-old defender Leny Yoro from French Ligue 1 side Lille, the clubs confirmed Thursday.

United agreed a fee of €62 million ($67.6m), plus a potential €8m ($8.7m) in add-ons, to sign the France under-21 international, sources told ESPN.

Yoro has joined United despite interest from Real Madrid, after sources told ESPN that the Spanish side opted against engaging in a bidding war with the Premier League club for the centre-half.

Sources added that Yoro told Madrid of his intention to sign for United on Tuesday night after the Spanish club failed to make a move to sign him.

"Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour," Yoro said as part of the announcement. "Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project, and showed a lot of care for me and my family.

"I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new teammates. I cannot wait to get started."

The defender will join Joshua Zirkzee, who signed from Bologna on Sunday, at Old Trafford.

Both signings were supported by the club's new football leadership put into place over the last few months following the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as a minority owner, as well as club scouts and manager Erik ten Hag, sources said.

"Leny is one of the most exciting young defenders in world football; he possesses every attribute needed to develop into a top-class centre-back," Man United's new sporting director Dan Ashworth said in a club statement. "Having had such an excellent start to his career we are excited to support him in reaching his immense potential here at Manchester United.

"This club has a fantastic record of developing young players, whether homegrown or brought in from elsewhere, and giving them the required guidance, time and patience to grow and flourish. Under Erik ten Hag and our excellent staff we will ensure that Leny has the perfect platform to achieve the success that everyone across the club is aiming for."

Zirkee and Yoro effectively replace forward Anthony Martial and defender Raphaël Varane after the experienced duo departed the club earlier this summer.

The club has not ruled out making further defensive signings, sources told ESPN, with the club continuing to admire Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt and Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite. However, the transfer fees remain a potential stumbling block with ESPN reporting that United have already had a £50 million ($64m) bid rejected for Branthwaite,

Yoro is regarded as one of the brightest young defensive talents in Europe after becoming a first-team regular at Lille. He made his senior debut as a 16-year-old at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Information from ESPN's Mark Ogden contributed to this report.

- ESPN

MAN UNITED NEAR TO BEATING REAL MADRID TO LENY YORO - SOURCES

Man United look to have beaten competition from Real Madrid to sign Leny Yoro from Lille. Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images

 Manchester United are close to overcoming competition from Real Madrid to seal a £52.1 million ($67.9m) deal for Leny Yoro after the Lille defender was granted permission to travel to Old Trafford for a medical, sources have told ESPN.

United, who completed the £35.8m ($46.7m) signing of Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna earlier this week, have moved ahead of Madrid in the race for Yoro, with sources telling ESPN that the Champions League winners opted against engaging in a bidding war with the Premier League club for the centre-half.

Yoro, 18, had favoured a move to Madrid and had initially been resistant to a transfer to United, but the English club have now made a breakthrough in negotiations with Lille and the player.

Sources told ESPN that Yoro told Madrid of his intention to sign for United on Tuesday night after the Spanish club failed to make a move to sign him.

Madrid, as ESPN has reported, have been in constant contact with Yoro for months but never made a concrete offer to sign him. The club had Yoro as one of their priority targets to reinforce the defence following the departure of Nacho but sources have always insisted to ESPN that they would not enter into a bidding war for his services.

In fact, Madrid were optimistic because Yoro's desire was to join Madrid but the club were not willing to reach the price offered by United for a player who would be available for free in just 12 months.

Lille, who finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season to seal a place in the 2024-25 Champions League third qualifying round, have accepted United's bid and Yoro is now travelling to Manchester to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical.

Sources have told ESPN, however, that while Yoro's readiness to travel to Manchester shows that the player is open to a move to Old Trafford, there is still work to do to get the deal over the line, despite Madrid's reluctance to pursue a transfer at the same level of United's offer.

France under-21 international Yoro is regarded as one of the brightest young defensive talents in Europe after becoming a first-team regular at Lille. He made his senior debut as a 16-year-old at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Yoro, 18, had favoured a move to Madrid and had initially been resistant to a transfer to United, but the English club have now made a breakthrough in negotiations with Lille and the player.

Sources told ESPN that Yoro told Madrid of his intention to sign for United on Tuesday night after the Spanish club failed to make a move to sign him.

Madrid, as ESPN has reported, have been in constant contact with Yoro for months but never made a concrete offer to sign him. The club had Yoro as one of their priority targets to reinforce the defence following the departure of Nacho but sources have always insisted to ESPN that they would not enter into a bidding war for his services.

In fact, Madrid were optimistic because Yoro's desire was to join Madrid but the club were not willing to reach the price offered by United for a player who would be available for free in just 12 months.

Lille, who finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season to seal a place in the 2024-25 Champions League third qualifying round, have accepted United's bid and Yoro is now travelling to Manchester to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical.

Sources have told ESPN, however, that while Yoro's readiness to travel to Manchester shows that the player is open to a move to Old Trafford, there is still work to do to get the deal over the line, despite Madrid's reluctance to pursue a transfer at the same level of United's offer.

France under-21 international Yoro is regarded as one of the brightest young defensive talents in Europe after becoming a first-team regular at Lille. He made his senior debut as a 16-year-old at the end of the 2021-22 season.

United are targeting young talent this summer as the club's new football board, led by Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, attempt to rebuild Erik ten Hag's squad with players who have both potential and the ability to increase their value in the team.

The pursuit of Yoro and Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt is also likely to lead to a number of defensive departures from Old Trafford this summer with United prepared to listen to offers for Victor Lindelöf, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Former France international Raphaël Varane has already left the club following the expiry of his contract last month.

Information from ESPN's Rodrigo Faez contributed to this report.

- Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

MAN UNITED AGREE YOLO DEAL, REAL MADRID CONFIDANT - SOURCES

 Manchester United have reached an agreement with Lille to sign Leny Yoro for around €45 million ($48.7m) amid significant interest in the player from LaLiga champions Real Madrid, sources have told ESPN.

Madrid remain confident of winning the race for the young centre-back because of the player's desire to play for Los Blancos, the sources added, despite the fact that Madrid have not yet tabled a formal offer to sign the French star and are hoping to make a deal with Lille for a slightly lesser sum.

Sources also told ESPN that United are aware that the player's preference is to play for Madrid but hope to force Lille's hand with their more substantial bid.

Paris Saint-Germain have also shown interest in the 18-year-old but Madrid remain optimistic as they have had an agreement with the player for some time, sources told ESPN.

Yoro's contract with Lille expires in June 2025 and he has no intention of renewing it, meaning the French club need to sell him this summer to avoid losing him for free next summer.

Yoro made his debut for Lille at the end of the 2021-22 season and quickly caught the eye, with sources at Madrid highlighting his physique and ball-playing skills.

The defender is already a France international at under-21 level, though he was omitted from Thierry Henry's final squad for the football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Meanwhile, Madrid need to reinforce their defence after Nacho decided to join Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah after his contract expired.

Carlo Ancelotti is counting on Antonio Rüdiger to lead the defence, with Éder Militão and David Alaba returning after missing much of last season with serious injuries.

However, he is still looking for another defender following the decision to sell Rafa Marín, who spent last season on loan at Alavés, to Napoli.

Information from ESPN's Rob Dawson contributed to this report.

- Julien Laurens and Rodrigo Faez

MAN UNITED STEP UP PURSUIT OF DE MATTHIJS DE LIGT - SOURCES

Matthijs de Ligt is being lined up by Manchester United. Mateo Villalba/Getty Images

 Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, sources have told ESPN.

United have made contact with De Ligt's representatives and an official approach to Bayern is expected soon.

The club have turned their attention to the Netherlands international, who is available from Bayern, after reaching an impasse in their talks with Everton over a deal for Jarrad Branthwaite.

United have already seen a bid of £43 million including add-ons rejected by Everton, who value the 22-year-old at around £70m.

Manager Erik ten Hag is keen to bring in at least one centre-back this summer to replace Raphaël Varane, who left Old Trafford on a free transfer at the end of the season. Sources have told ESPN that there is also interest in Lille's Leny Yoro and Marc Guéhi at Crystal Palace.

Real Madrid are leading the race to sign 18-year-old Yoro and Liverpool are also interested in Guehi, who has impressed for England at Euro 2024.

Signing at least one centre-back is a key part of United's summer recruitment plan, as well as bringing in a striker and a central midfielder. United have followed De Ligt since his breakthrough at Ajax and were interested before he moved to Juventus in 2019.

He joined Bayern in 2022 but has slipped down the pecking order at the Allianz Arena. The Bundesliga giants signed Kim Min-Jae from Napoli last summer and are keen to bring in Germany international Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen before the start of the new season.

United are open to offers for Victor Lindelöf and Harry Maguire this summer. Fenerbahce are interested in Lindelof, who has a year left on his contract, but there has not yet been a formal approach to United.

The club remain in talks with Jonny Evans about a new contract. If Lindelof or Maguire leave, United will push to bring in two centre-backs, although the recruitment department are conscious that finances are tight and the squad needs another striker to replace Anthony Martial, who has left after the expiry of his contract.

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent