Manchester United have had a rough season so far, despite being assured that they had a top defensive talent on their roster.
Despite Manchester United’s recent troubles, former Red Devil Mikael Silvestre sees optimism in adolescent wonder Leny Yoro. The £52 million signing from Lille had a rough start at Old Trafford due to injuries, but is now firmly in manager Ruben Amorim’s plans.
Silvestre, who has followed Yoro’s growth since his time in France, believes the United manager should rebuild his defence around the young Frenchman.
At Soccerex in Cairo, Silvestre spoke highly of the defender: “From his time in Lille, we’ve seen that he’s athletically dominant, he makes the right calls when recovering the ball and has good timing. It’s unfortunate that he got injured early in pre-season because I think he will be a major force at United in the coming years.”
Silvestre went on to speak about Yoro’s room for improvement but praised his vast potential, comparing him to French peers William Saliba and Ibrahima Konate as the natural successor. “He still has some things that he can learn, of course, he is not the finished article, but he’s got so much potential. When you look at [William] Saliba and [Ibrahima] Konate for France, for me he is next in line.”
In light of United’s present struggles, Silvestre argues for club officials to support Amorim’s vision and add players who fit his 3-4-3 game plan, citing recent acquisition Patrick Dorgu as one example. The former French international explained: “Amorim is forcing players to adapt quickly right now, and it isn’t working.” You can’t simply flip a switch from one day to the next for gamers.
“They must conform to the manager’s specifications. Dorgu, for example, is a player who should play in his formation, but I’m not convinced [Noussair] Mazraoui or [Diogo] Dalot are up to the task. I believe he is a good manager. It’s just bad timing. Coming in the midst of the season is usually challenging, and the players’ confidence is low.”
Silvestre, who won ten titles during his nine-year tenure at United under Sir Alex Ferguson, believes the club has declined since his former manager’s departure in 2013. “What you see on the pitch is the result of years of poor off-field management. Problems remain unanswered, and persons appointed who did not make the correct decisions.”
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