29 August 2026

Manchester United defender Leny Yoro has found himself behind Ayden Heaven in Michael Carrick’s pecking order at Old Trafford. The French defender was used several times at right-back during pre-season, while Heaven was deployed in central defence alongside Harry Maguire.

Carrick stuck with that combination for United’s opening game of the season against Hull City at the MKM Stadium last weekend. However, the Red Devils conceded twice from set-pieces and went down 2-0.

Yoro, meanwhile, remained an unused substitute, with Carrick choosing to introduce attacking players late in the match in an attempt to spark a comeback. Understandably, the Frenchman is likely to be frustrated and will be hoping for minutes against Ipswich Town this weekend.

United pulled off a major move in the summer of 2024 when they signed Yoro ahead of Real Madrid. The Frenchman missed the first half of the season through injury and, by the time he was fully fit again, Erik ten Hag — the manager who had brought him in — had already left the club.

Ruben Amorim was appointed as the Dutchman’s successor in November 2024, and Yoro soon became a regular in his 3-4-3 setup. The 20-year-old thrived as part of a back three and made 33 appearances that season.

When fit, Yoro was almost always trusted by the Portuguese coach and went on to make 53 appearances during Amorim’s 14-month spell in charge. After Carrick took over and United switched to a back four, Yoro initially found opportunities harder to get.

Even so, he did start six games in a row between February and April when both Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez were unavailable. But after the Argentine returned, the Frenchman was restricted to only 34 minutes across the final five matches of the campaign.

His position remains uncertain for now, particularly after Maguire signed a new contract during the summer. It now seems Yoro could be presented with the chance to link up again with his former manager this season.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, as quoted by Milan News, journalist Carlo Pellegatti suggested that AC Milan may try to lure Yoro away from Old Trafford this summer. He said: “Keep an eye out for a new name, Leny Yoro of Manchester United, whom Amorim is very keen on.”

“He’s part of Mendes’s stable. The fee is high, around 50 million euros, but with Mendes’s help, a solution could be found. He’d be a huge upgrade for Milan’s defence. Keep an eye on Yoro.”

Yoro remains under contract at United until 2029.

United are not expected to entertain the idea of letting Yoro leave, especially as he is still highly rated at Old Trafford. The Frenchman is viewed as a player with enormous potential and could become the long-term successor to Maguire, who is already approaching the final phase of his career.

At the same time, with Lisandro Martinez entering the last year of his contract and De Ligt still dealing with fitness concerns, Yoro could yet grow into an important figure for the Red Devils as the season unfolds.

The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment Overall credibility: 5/10 Why?

✅ Ruben Amorim has worked with Yoro and knows him well. ⚠️ The source is not especially reliable for United-related news. ⚠️ There is no official confirmation from the club.