Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has suggested that the Red Devils could move for a new centre-back during this summer’s transfer window amid concerns regarding Leny Yoro‘s foot injury.
Yoro was unable to make his competitive debut for the 20-time English champions until the start of December, as he fractured the metatarsal bone in his left foot during the team’s preparations for the 2024-25 campaign.
The Frenchman limped off the field against West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday with an injury to the same foot, and he was not present during the team’s opening training session on Wednesday.
Yoro has not yet been ruled out of next week’s Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, but the 19-year-old is a major doubt, and Amorim has suggested that a new centre-back could arrive this summer if the youngster is facing another spell out.
Matthijs de Ligt and Ayden Heaven are also major doubts for the final due to injury problems, while Lisandro Martinez is unlikely to make his comeback from a serious knee injury until the start of 2026.
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Yoro could be facing another lengthy spell out
Amorim, speaking during his press conference to preview Friday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea, has suggested that a centre-back may be signed during this summer’s transfer window.
“Leny was the same as Matta [Matthijs de Ligt], [when he got injured at Brentford], I was thinking about the next year, the squad, if we need another guy. If he’s a long injury. That is my concern,” Amorim told reporters.
“It’s not about just the final, of course I want every player fit. Leny Yoro was in his foot, he had that problem [in pre-season], so I was so concerned about the next season, the next squad, the way we build up the squad. That was my biggest concern. The rest? We’ll be ready for the final, no matter what.”
Yoro, De Ligt, Heaven and Diogo Dalot are all likely to be assessed at the start of next week before it is determined whether any of them will be available for selection against Tottenham in the Europa League final on May 21.
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Amorim says Man United “need to perform” against Chelsea
Amorim has called for his players “to perform” against Chelsea on Friday night, as the Red Devils look to win in the Premier League for the first time in two months.
“The best way is to face the game like we should face the game. We need to perform, we need to win points in the Premier League and that is the feeling. We talked about that after West Ham,” said the manager.
“We need to improve in the way we face competition, stay focused in every moment of the game because, again against West Ham, we had clear situations to score. In the first opportunity of West Ham, they score one goal. So, these small details matter. The only way I know how to prepare a final, in the normal game for our league, we must play the same way as a final.
“We have time to recover. The best thing to prepare the final is to play the game [against Chelsea]. The players have to understand that if you play or don’t play against Chelsea, it means nothing to the final, that is important. I’m just preparing [for] the game of Chelsea, that is my focus. We want to win and we want to perform.”
Man United are currently down in 16th spot in the Premier League table, one point and one position ahead of their Europa League final opponents Spurs, who will tackle Aston Villa on Friday night.
