Here at Sport Witness, we knew the sniping and comments from the Spanish press would start sooner or later when it came to Leny Yoro’s move to Manchester United.
It was almost inevitable that comments would be made and that the tale of him turning down Real Madrid in favour of Manchester United would be spun so the Spanish side don’t come off negatively.
And, like an efficient, scheduled arrival those comments have come steaming in today as the player undergoes his medical at Old Trafford. First to Radio Marca and Santi Canizares, who, while talking about the matter with David Sanchez, questioned how good Yoro actually is.
“Leny Yoro will be an important footballer to be on the agendas of the big teams,” he said.
“I have seen him play very little but let’s be honest in the end there has been more talk about his contractual situation than about his football.”
In other words, how good is this kid really when everyone is talking about his contract and not his ability on the pitch at this moment in time?
Marca then continue their effort to play things down, presenting the transfer as not a win for Manchester United, but a sign of the player giving in to pressure instead.
The Red Devils have paid practically double what Madrid would have and this money has also played it’s part with the player, who has been ‘seduced by the financial offer’ on the table.
The wages being offered are much more than Madrid would ever have paid and this temptation, plus the pressure put on him, has seemingly seen him change his mind. So not the lure of playing for Manchester United then. In fact, as far as Marca are concerned, he’s basically being forced.
Mundo Deportivo, meanwhile, play the ‘Madrid aren’t bothered anyway’ card, insisting that the move to Manchester United didn’t come as a surprise despite all indications from elsewhere that it very much did.
AS conclude things by insisting that Manchester United are basically paying over the odds, and Madrid had placed a hard cap of €40m on any deal. Likewise, his €9m salary is far beyond what the Spanish giants would have put on the table.
They do concede that United are getting one of the best young defenders in Europe, but state that Real Madrid were never going to do anything crazy for him. The implication of that, of course, is that Manchester United have, particularly from a financial aspect.
All in all, a predictable and early response from the Spanish press. Real Madrid weren’t that keen anyway, the money United are paying is too much and Yoro is weak willed. They don’t care, really, they don’t.
