Former Premier League manager Tim Sherwood has delivered a damning assessment of Manchester United's big-money signing Leny Yoro, stating he simply 'doesn't see it' with the young defender.
A Struggling Start for a Major Investment
Yoro, a 20-year-old centre-half, joined United in the summer of 2024 for a fee of £52 million, turning down a move to Real Madrid in the process. His career at Old Trafford began disastrously with an ankle injury in a pre-season friendly against Arsenal.
By the time he recovered, the manager who signed him, Erik ten Hag, had been replaced by Ruben Amorim, forcing Yoro to adapt to a new system. While there have been flashes of potential, Sherwood argues the Frenchman is far from justifying his enormous price tag.
Sherwood's Scathing Analysis
Speaking to Online Casino UK, Sherwood expanded on his concerns, which also extended to United's other summer recruit, striker Benjamin Sesko. 'I always feel that players need time to settle into the Premier League, especially if you're a young player who's come from Europe, but I don't see it with him,' Sherwood said of Yoro.
He pointed to United's recent 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa as a prime example, where Yoro was partly at fault for both goals scored by Morgan Rogers. Sherwood didn't stop there, also questioning the club's signing of experienced defender Matthijs de Ligt.
Concerns Extend to Attacking Signing
The criticism was not reserved for the defence. Sherwood expressed equal scepticism about Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko, who has recently returned from injury. 'I'm also not sold by Benjamin Sesko,' he stated. 'He hasn't had a huge amount of chances, but I'd have at least expected to see something by now.'
In a brutal comparison, Sherwood added: 'If he was an academy player at Manchester United coming through the ranks and he performed the way he has, you'd never seen him again.'
A Wider Problem at Old Trafford?
Sherwood suggested the struggles of Yoro and Sesko highlight a broader issue at Manchester United, indicating a significant gap in squad quality compared to the league's elite. 'You could say the same about a lot of Manchester United's players,' he noted, 'and I think it demonstrates how big of a drop off there is between Arsenal and Manchester City's squad and the rest of the league.'
With pressure mounting on the club's recruitment strategy, both Yoro and Sesko face a critical period to prove their doubters wrong and start repaying United's substantial investment.
