From blockbuster to injury
After a first season shrouded in injury, Leny Yoro is on the verge of a turning point campaign in a Manchester United shirt.
There is no room for mistakes, no time to adapt, the 2025/26 season is the time for the French midfielder to assert his value in the 3-4-2-1 formation applied by coach Ruben Amorim.
It is a 3-center-back system that requires flexibility, speed and sharp tactical thinking from the defenders.
On July 18, 2024, MU made a splash when they beat Real Madrid in the transfer market to recruit Leny Yoro - a young central defender known as the "new Varane" of French football .
With a transfer fee of up to 62 million euros, MU sent a clear message: they put long-term trust in Yoro, seeing him as a defensive pillar in the new era.
However, just 15 days after signing the contract, Yoro suffered a serious foot injury during a closed training session.
Surgery and nearly five months on the sidelines kept him largely out of action during his first season.
When he returned, the young centre-back could not reach his best form and was overwhelmed by the stability of more experienced players like Harry Maguire or Victor Lindelof.
In the eyes of fans, Yoro quickly transformed from a "defensive blockbuster" to a symbol of risk and disappointment.
A new season, new opportunities
Football always gives second chances to those who are talented and know how to seize them. Now, with the 2025/26 season about to start, Leny Yoro is facing a golden opportunity to turn things around.
The arrival of coach Ruben Amorim opens new doors for young and modern quality players like Yoro.
Jonny Evans' retirement and Lindelof's departure, Maguire and Lisandro Martinez's fitness issues, and the lack of new contracts, have left MU's defense vulnerable.
In that context, Yoro is almost the default choice in the central defender trio. Lisandro, De Ligt, Maguire and Ayden Heaven will compete for the remaining two positions.
At 19, Yoro still has limited Premier League experience, but he has the qualities that Amorim loves: the ability to defend space, the speed to cover and the ability to progress the ball from the back.
In a 3-4-2-1 system, full-backs like Yoro play a particularly important role – not only as a defensive shield, but also as the initiator of attacks from behind.
Responsibilities and expectations
There is no denying that the €62 million fee still weighs heavily on Yoro’s shoulders. At a club like MU, every missed shot or every wrong tackle is scrutinized under a magnifying glass. On the contrary, it is also the ideal environment for a true talent to flourish.
The Red Devils have suffered from too much instability in defence in recent seasons. Situation-based solutions such as Luke Shaw playing centre-back, Casemiro dropping deep or using unprepared youngsters are just stop-gap measures.
Ruben Amorim 's United need a new leader, a pillar capable of holding together a completely changed defensive system. Yoro, in theory, was brought in to take on that role.
The biggest question right now is not talent, because everyone knows Yoro can become a world- class center-back if he develops in the right direction.
The question is whether this young man has enough courage, will and desire to overcome the initial failure, and from there stand up stronger after the injury?
Ruben Amorim is known as a coach who knows how to exploit the potential of young players. If Yoro wins his trust, it is not impossible that he will become a key piece of MU in the 2025/26 season.
The Theatre of Dreams is where great players make history, but it is also where many are swept away if they are not brave enough.
For Yoro, he needs to come back immediately and prove himself worthy of the trust, the huge amount of money spent, and the pressure of the red shirt.
With great responsibility comes great pressure. It is time for the Frenchman to step into the light, or into oblivion.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/leny-yoro-den-luc-lam-thu-linh-mu-cua-ruben-amorim-2426579.html
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