Manchester United have announced the signing of highly rated 18-year-old centre-back Leny Yoro from Lille.
United are reported to have paid the French club an initial £52.2million (€62m), a fee that could rise to £58.9m (€70m).
The move, which is subject to registration, sees Yoro sign a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option for a further year.
"Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour," Yoro said.
"Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project and showed a lot of care for me and my family.
"I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I cannot wait to get started."
Yoro made just 46 appearances in Ligue 1, 38 as a starter, and had only a year remaining on his Lille contract, but Real Madrid were said to be keen on the exciting young defender.
So United, who have been looking to sign at least one centre-back in this transfer window, have made their move, pipping Madrid and other potential suitors.
Erik ten Hag's side have also been linked with moves for Jarrad Branthwaite and Matthijs de Ligt and could yet return to the market to further bolster their defence.
For now, United manager Ten Hag can look forward to pairing Yoro with Lisandro Martinez, who missed a large part of last season due to injury.
What will Yoro bring?
Martinez's absence impacted United's ability to play out from the back, having replaced long-standing goalkeeper David de Gea with Andre Onana in a bid to improve their build-up play.
Despite his inexperience, Yoro should be able to have an immediate impact in that regard, showing his ability on the ball last season as he completed 92.1% of his passes in Ligue 1.
Among United players to attempt multiple passes in the Premier League in 2023-24, only Martinez himself (92.2%) could top that mark.
Harry Maguire, who made more starts than any other centre-back (18) for an injury-ravaged team, trailed considerably in that metric, completing just 83.1% of his passes.
Yoro does not yet dominate physically like Maguire or Raphael Varane in a defensive sense, but he has been compared to the France World Cup winner by Lille's academy director Jean-Michel Vandamme.
Dan Ashworth, United's sporting director, said on Thursday: "He possesses every attribute needed to develop into a top-class centre-back."
Reggae Girl Chantelle Swaby inks two-year deal with Leicester City
Jamaica's senior Reggae Girl Chantelle Swaby is set to realise a lifelong dream of playing in the Barclay's Women's Super League (WSL), as she was signed by Leicester City on a free transfer.
Swaby, agreed to a two-year deal with Leicester City after her contract with French club FC Fluery expired recently.
The versatile player, who has been capped 38 times for Jamaica, is eager to hit the ground running at the King Power Stadium.
“It feels great to have signed for Leicester City. I’ve been wanting to come to the WSL for years now, but I just haven’t had the chance to, so I’m happy to be here and can’t wait to get started," she told the club website.
"I know this will be a really good experience and a great challenge for me, and I'm really excited. Playing as the home team at King Power Stadium will be a whole different experience, and I'm really looking forward to getting started with my teammates and meet the supporters,” Swaby added.
The 25-year-old made 33 appearances across two seasons and helped FC Fleury finish fifth in the French top-flight league last season. Prior to that, she represented American outfit Sky Blue FC and had a one-year stint with Rangers in the Scottish Women's Premier League, where she won the 2021–22 title.
Interestingly, Reggae Boy Bobby Reid was recently picked up by Leicester City's male team following their promotion to the English Premier League (EPL).
Schmeichel reunites with Rodgers at Celtic
Kasper Schmeichel has signed a one-year deal with Celtic, while reuniting with former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.
The Denmark goalkeeper joins the reigning Scottish Premiership champions as a free agent after his departure from Belgian side Anderlecht, where he spent a single season.
Schmeichel, who also spent a year with Ligue 1 outfit Nice in 2022-23, brings plenty of experience to Celtic Park, following his 11-year stint with Leicester.
The 37-year-old helped the Foxes to their fairy-tale Premier League triumph in 2016, along with their FA Cup success five years later.
Rodgers was Schmeichel's coach in his final three years at the King Power Stadium, and both are excited to renew that working relationship.
"I am absolutely delighted to join Celtic and can't wait to get started," Schmeichel told the club's official website.
"Celtic is one of the world's proper football clubs, a massive name and a place of real passion and success. Celtic is what football is all about.
"I know Brendan very well, too. He is a top manager and someone I can't wait to work with again.
"I'm really looking forward to meeting up with the boys [on their pre-season tour] in America and starting our work and then, of course, meeting our fans who bring so much to Celtic.
"I will be doing all I can to keep Celtic on top and bring these brilliant supporters more and more success."
"I am really pleased to bring Kasper to Celtic," Rodgers added. "He is a real quality keeper and someone with the ability and personality to be great for us.
"He is a guy I trust and someone who knows how to win. He lives for football, and he is coming to a club where he will feel the same passion that he has for the game.
"I know he will feel right at home at Celtic, and we look forward to working with him as we all aim for more success."
Seattle Sounders v Los Angeles FC: Hosts 'flying' with win in 'massive game', says Schmetzer
The Seattle Sounders will be "flying" if they can beat Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
That was the message from coach Brian Schmetzer, who is relishing a huge occasion at Lumen Field, where the Sounders have been outstanding.
Seattle are on a five-game winning run in MLS, with four of those matches coming at home. They have lost in Seattle only once this year, back in April.
After a slow start, there are now only five teams above them in the Western Conference, but one of those are LAFC.
It was a defeat in Los Angeles that set in motion the Sounders' five-game winless run to start the campaign, while their 2023 season ended with a defeat to LAFC at Lumen Field.
Seattle should not be short of motivation then, and Schmetzer is now shying away from the significance of this game.
"Saturday is such a big game against LAFC," Schmetzer said. "Everyone needs to come out and show up.
"This is a massive game for us. We've only lost twice in 18 games. That's pretty darn good if you ask me.
"We come out with a result on Saturday, and we're flying."
A win would close the gap between sixth-placed Seattle and second-placed LAFC to just four points, with this weekend's visitors wobbling in recent weeks against elite opposition.
The performance in the midweek draw with Real Salt Lake was merely "a little better" than in the prior humbling 5-1 defeat to the Columbus Crew, according to coach Steve Cherundolo.
"No, I was not happy with the performance [against RSL]," he said.
LAFC had won nine of their previous 10 ahead of the Columbus game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak
Rusnak assisted Jon Bell's first Seattle goal in the midweek win over St Louis City, continuing his fine form. That was his sixth consecutive home match in which he had registered a goal contribution.
Obafemi Martins is the only Sounders player with a longer such streak in a single regular season, with a seven-game run in 2014.
Los Angeles FC – Mateusz Bogusz
Olivier Giroud officially became an LAFC player this week, but Bogusz has contributed handily while the team have waited for the World Cup winner to arrive.
Bogusz has contributed to goals in each of his past five away matches, the longest active streak in MLS. Only Carlos Vela has had goal contributions in more consecutive road games in the regular season for LAFC (six matches in 2018).
MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN
Across MLS and the US Open Cup, the Sounders have won six games in a row, their longest winning run since a streak of the same length ended in MLS Cup glory in 2019.
But LAFC are the Sounders' bogey side right now. They have won three in a row against Seattle and are unbeaten in seven in this fixture.
The Rave Green have not beaten LAFC since May 2021, and Saturday's visitors will hope to provide another reality check.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Seattle Sounders – 32.1%
Los Angeles FC – 42.5%
Draw – 25.4%
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