by Ben Ayuko
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Lenny Yoro enjoyed a solid outing in his first ever performance for Man United in their friendly against Rangers over the weekend.
Being one of the more promising youngsters around playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, he will, now, have more eyes on him than he has ever had before going into the new season and he will be hoping to have a decent debut season in the English Premier League. But if his season is anything like the performance he gave in that pre-season friendly, then he surely has nothing to worry about.
Yoro looks to be a very sturdy defensive unit. He reminds me of a young Nathan Ake. His explosive power allows him to catch up to any attacker, even if caught out of position, while his body strength allows him to handle the situation with minimal jeopardy; his long, agile limbs allowing him to reach for the ball from the most awkward of angles. A player who is decent enough on the ball to keep things ticking over and who can be relied on as the last line in defense. It remains to be seen whether he is as much of an attacking threat in the opposition box as Ake was.
He has received major plaudits for his performances, being likened to another player who burst onto the scene as a youngster, Arsenal’s William Saliba.
One should remember, though, that Saliba was loaned out to the French Ligue 1 for 2 seasons before Mikel Arteta saw it fit to integrate him into the first team at Arsenal. If this is the path Yoro would take, while it does promise a prodigious talent in the long run, it would also surely beckon jeers and dejection at the hands of a restless Man United fanbase.
The best thing for such a young player, often, is to let his burgeoning talent blossom at its own pace without any added pressure being thrust upon his shoulders. Manchester United goalkeeper, André Onana, has already come out and said, “We’re here to help Leny. We will take responsibility no matter what happens”. “We’re leaders, he’s a young player, we’ll give him time and he will be alright”
However, whenever a player makes a big money move, it always comes with a big pile of pressure to accompany it. Many a football will undoubtedly be eager to see his £145k per week, €62mil price tag justified. Should he take some time to show his promise in this, his debut season, will the Man United faithful be so grand as to allow him time to find his footing?