Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images
Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images
Manchester United defender Leny Yoro has been handed his inaugural senior France call-up this month in a move that could see him change the trajectory of his career.
Despite a stuttering start to his third Manchester United campaign, Leny Yoro has been handed a call into the French first team squad. This comes as Real Madrid’s Ibrahima Konate has withdrawn from the squad due to injury, allowing Yoro to step up for his chance to impress Zinedine Zidane
It comes in the middle of Yoro’s ultimatum season for United, in which he is fighting for his long-term future at Old Trafford, and could be a huge moment in his career. Yoro will get to train with world-class duo William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, while he could have the chance to build confidence.
France experience might be vital for Leny Yoro
In his time at United so far, Yoro has barely gotten started despite plenty of signs that he has the potential to become the world-class defender that he was pitched as when signed.
Yoro has the potential to be elite, but in three seasons at United, he just hasn’t had the run of starts to build any momentum, form, or develop as a player. The blame for this lies at the feet of Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick, who prioritised older defenders, which the latter still does now.
Despite not trusting him near enough in games, Carrick is high on Yoro, and with Harry Maguire starting to become a liability, he should be planning to put the Frenchman in as Lisandro Martinez’s partner.
Yoro’s chance in the French senior squad will benefit him in accomplishing this, with Zidane having the chance to allow Yoro to play and build confidence, which can show Carrick how good the 21-year-old is and why he should be playing more.
Alongside this, it will let Yoro learn from defenders who are much better than what United currently has in the squad, and the chance to pick up tricks in the next few weeks that could actually be game-changing for United.
It hasn’t been perfect for Yoro at United so far. But he has all the potential to change that, and the time with the French squad under Zidane might be the turning point.