By Jamie Spencer
Real Madrid have "intensified" talks with Lille over Leny Yoro in the hope of completing their group of first-team centre-back with the teenage prodigy.
Yoro was just 16 when he made senior Lille debut in 2022 and made 44 appearances in all competitions last season. But, with a contract that expires in 2025 and no desire from the player to sign a new one, the French club have already confirmed he is for sale this summer.
"Leny Yoro and Jonathan David can leave the club this summer. Both have the 'exit voucher' due to their contract situation," president Olivier Letang admitted last month.
Despite reported interest from the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, it has long been thought that Yoro's overriding preference is Real Madrid.
With Nacho Fernandez now gone, Marca writes that Yoro is the player Madrid want as their fourth senior centre-back going forward alongside Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and David Alaba. Jesus Vallejo will take that role, at least in the short-term, if no deal is struck with Lille.
But the suggestion is there is "optimism" from Madrid that an agreement will be reached, one that could be around €40m – plus add-ons – rather than the €100m previously quoted.
According to AS, the reigning European champions want Yoro through the door in time to start pre-season training at Valdebebas at the start of next week on 15 July. That report states an even lower figure of €35m for the 18-year-old, putting pressure on Lille to cash in.
There are similarities with Madrid's pursuit of a certain Raphael Varane more than a decade ago. Now a modern Bernabeu legend, he was 18 at the time and was making a name for himself at Lens, although was actually born and raised in nearby Lille.
Varane went on to play 360 times for Madrid and lifted four UEFA Champions League trophies.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Real Madrid 'intensify' Leny Yoro talks with Lille over cut-price transfer.
