Manchester United 'submit £51m bid' for Liverpool 'target' who 'held talks' with Red Devils at Wembley

Manchester United have made the first move to sign highly-rated Lille defender Leny Yoro with reports in Spain claiming the Red Devils have submitted an offer to the French club worth €60m (£51m).

The 18-year-old is strongly linked with a move to Champions League winners Real Madrid and has is also said to be a target for Liverpool, who are in the market for a centre-back following the departure of Joel Matip on a free transfer.

Spanish newspaper Marca reports United have made the offer in an attempt to beat Madrid to the punch, with Yoro entering the final year of his contract with Lille. Madrid have already spoke to the player and his agent, with the report in Marca claiming the La Liga champions have urged the defender to resist higher offers from English clubs.

It is said that Yoro prefers a move to the Spanish capital despite the interest from the Premier League. The 18-year-old was at Wembley for the FA Cup final, as United beat Manchester City 2-1, and held meetings with the club’s hierarchy. Minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is in charge of football operations at Old Trafford following his part purchase of the club, was one of the senior figures in attendance. United are searching for a new centre-back following Raphaël Varane’s departure after his contract expired at Old Trafford.

Liverpool face a tough battle to sign Yoro given the financial power of Madrid and United. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez remain Arne Slot’s senior options at centre-back. Van Dijk is approaching the final year of his Anfield contract and turns 33 next month. Gomez has just turned 27 while Konate is only 25 with Quansah celebrating his 21st birthday back in January. Liverpool still need more cover in the position but it remains to be seen if Yoro can be tempted to join the Reds.

Matip left Liverpool having made his last appearance back in December after he was injured in the dramatic 4-3 win over Fulham. He injured his ACL which ended his season five months early. Now departed Reds boss Jurgen Klopp had hoped to see the defender handed a new deal to allow him to continue his recovery with Liverpool but he was overruled.

"In all the years that I have been involved in football, I am not sure I have come across too many players who are more loved than Joel Matip. I'm not even sure it would be possible to say anything bad about him," said the German about Matip after the defender’s departure was confirmed.

"A wonderful professional, a wonderful footballer and a wonderful human being - we have been blessed to have him with us for as long as we have and now all we can do is wish him well as he heads off in a new direction.

"Joel's qualities as a player are there for all to see and as a club we have benefited from them since the first moment that he joined. I don't think he has had too many headlines over the years but he has only ever been a very famous figure within our group."