Manchester United Welcome Leny Yoro: Can He Be the Next Nemanja Vidic?
Manchester United have completed the signing of French defender Leny Yoro, and fans are excited to see what the 18-year-old has to offer. The £52m deal is a significant investment, and the club is hoping that Yoro will follow in the footsteps of Nemanja Vidic, who wore the same number 15 shirt with great success.
Vidic, a 24-year-old from Serbia, arrived at Old Trafford in 2006 and went on to become a colossus at the back, forming a legendary partnership with Rio Ferdinand and winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League. He’s a big pair of shoes to fill, but Yoro has already shown great promise at Lille.
One thing that’s certain is that Yoro won’t be the first player to wear the number 15 shirt at United. Here’s a look at some of the other players who have donned the jersey in the past:
- Clayton Blackmore, a defender, was the first player to wear the number 15 shirt at United, back in 1993.
- Graeme Tomlinson, a forward, wore the shirt in 1994 and 1995, making only two first-team appearances.
- Karel Poborsky, a midfielder, played for United from 1996 to 1997.
- Jesper Blomqvist, a midfielder, wore the shirt from 1998 to 2001.
- Luke Chadwick, a midfielder, played for United from 2001 to 2003, but only made 16 appearances.
- Kleberson, a midfielder, joined United in 2003 but struggled with injuries and was eventually released.
- Nemanja Vidic, the Serbian defender, wore the number 15 shirt from 2006 to 2014 and became a United legend.
- Adnan Januzaj, a midfielder, wore the shirt in 2016 and 2017, but was eventually loaned out to Sunderland.
- Andreas Pereira, a midfielder, played for United from 2017 to 2022, making 62 appearances.
- Marcel Sabitzer, a midfielder, wore the shirt in 2023, before being loaned out to Bayern Munich.
- Sergio Reguilon, a defender, wore the shirt in 2023, but was released halfway through the season.
Yoro has a big task ahead of him, but he’s already shown great promise at Lille. With his speed, agility, and defensive prowess, he could be the perfect fit for United’s backline. Only time will tell if he can live up to the lofty expectations of the number 15 shirt.
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