'Fantastic for Manchester United' - Why Leny Yoro is ready for Ruben Amorim's back three

One of the leading recruiters in France approved of Manchester United's Leny Yoro coup.

"Fantastic recruitment for United," they messaged. "One of the most talented defenders from France. Some similarities with Varane in the same age, now he will need to increase physically to play in the Premier League.

"But he has speed, defensive reading and technique to be a very good player immediately and for the future."

The immediate has been delayed by nearly four months after a luckless metatarsal fracture following a tangle with Gabriel Jesus in a friendly with Arsenal. Yoro left Los Angeles on crutches and had surgery three days after United returned to Manchester.

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He was pictured undergoing an individual training session with the physio Ibrahim Kerem three weeks ago and there was some gentle ball-work. "Almost there kid," Bruno Fernandes wrote on Yoro's Instagram upload.

Yoro, who turns 19 next week, will not play against PAOK on Thursday or Leicester or Sunday. Perhaps there will be a cameo during the open training session at Carrington on Wednesday.

As gutting as Yoro's injury was, United strove to frame the lay-off as a positive for the teenager. A senior coaching staff member said it afforded Yoro time to adjust to his new surroundings at the training complex, settle into his new home and explore the city centre. It is an approach Sir Alex Ferguson swore by to lift the morale of an injured player.

United turn the page next week. With the three inconveniently-timed international fortnights boxed off and the spring internationals not until late March, Ipswich Town on November 24 is a new beginning for United.

It gives the illusion that it is the real start of their season. They will have a new coach in the dugout, a new formation and, ideally, a new centre back in their back three. Yoro was United's costliest summer signing at a fee rising to €70million.

United saw off competition from a complacent Real Madrid, a role-reversal 13 years on from Madrid gazumping them to sign a teenage centre back from northern France. Varane is understood to have been among the former United players whom Yoro consulted before making his decision.

There was surprise at Everton that United parted with more than £50m up front for a raw and overseas centre back, having tabled derisory offers for Jarrad Branthwaite. Injuries have reduced Branthwaite to one Premier League start and two substitute appearances this term.

Yoro played 80 minutes in two friendlies in two different continents for United before his metatarsal cracked. There were a couple of dicey passes against Rangers and Arsenal but also glimpses of the confidence that made him so coveted.

United have to aim to get him match-fit for Ruben Amorim's first appearance in the dugout at Portman Road. Amorim will have three team training sessions at the very most once all of the internationals return from duty and the Sunday scheduling is a benefit.

In 60 appearances for Lille, Yoro never played in a back three. Matthijs de Ligt has but struggled there for the Netherlands at the 2020 European Championship and for Bayern Munich under Julian Nagelsmann. Lisandro Martinez lined up in the formation in Argentina's World Cup quarter-final against the Dutch.

A newly-signed United centre back getting a going-over is a rite of passage. Gary Pallister at Maine Road in 1989, Jaap Stam in the 1998 Charity Shield, Laurent Blanc against anyone with pace, Nemanja Vidic at Blackburn, Victor Lindelof at Huddersfield, Martinez at Brentford and De Ligt against Tottenham.

There have been exceptions. Eric Bailly and Harry Maguire enjoyed stellar and steady starts. "I must say I haven't trained too much with him," Maguire said of Yoro, "but I've seen clips and I've seen attributes in a centre back of an 18-year-old that you'd want, every single attribute he's got.

"We must remind ourselves he is really young. There are going to be mistakes but he has every attribute of a centre back in the modern game, he has it. So I’m sure he’s going to have a bright future.

"It’s our job as senior centre backs, my job, to help him along, communicate well, let him know what to expect. There are going to be times where I’m sure he’ll feel the world is on top of him, there are also going to be times where he’s going to feel like the best player in the world. And that’s what this club brings."

Yoro got the same squad number - 15 - as Vidic. 'He comes from Saint-Maurice' is a tricky lyric to work with but Yoro is a talent United will hope at least emulates Vidic's eight-and-a-half years of service.

Vidic joined for £7m amid interest from Liverpool. That was another coup.