How Manchester United beat Real Madrid to sign Lenny Euro

On Wednesday, at around 9 a.m., a plane carrying Lenny Euros left Brussels, Belgium, bound for Manchester.

Attempts had been made to bring the 18-year-old defender to England the night before after he decided to join Manchester United instead of Spanish and European champions Real Madrid – but he ended up flying out the following morning.

However, that moment retained its significance.

After weeks of trying, United finally got their man. Although Euros had not finalised personal terms before boarding the plane, it was a young man who had finally made up his mind who made the short trip to the UK.

A fee of £52 million ($65 million, €62 million) had already been agreed with Lille (the French club is just 70 miles from Brussels), which could rise to £59 million, last week, and late on Tuesday it was Euro’s turn to give United their blanket approval of the proposed five-year deal. The deal was confirmed on Thursday evening. Against all odds, when United were not considered frontrunners until this week, they have secured what many in Europe regard as a “generational talent”.

Many, including other suitors, expected that Euros would end up signing for Real Madrid either this summer or in the year his contract with Lille was due to expire.

According to sources familiar with the situation, who like everyone we spoke to for this article have not been identified to protect relations, Real Madrid have held talks with Euro representative Jorge Mendes and were clearly willing to join them. All signs pointed to the Santiago Bernabéu.

But the offer from United, which was more than double that of Real Madrid, was a decision that Euro had to make. He was eventually convinced that his development could continue at the same pace in the Premier League. Former United centre-back Rio Ferdinand, among others, was brought in to convince Euro that the move was right. The financials were as attractive to the player as they were to Lille.

The signing of Euros is a huge financial investment for Manchester United, and perhaps just as important, it is a confirmation of intent under the control of minority owner INEOS, headed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. There is a sense within United that the signing of Euros and the imminent departure of Mason Greenwood are seismic for a number of reasons. They have signed a defender who could represent a brighter future at the same time as they have managed to get rid of a controversial player whose future was far from Old Trafford.

A week after bringing in 23-year-old Dutch international striker Joshua Zirkzee for £35.8m from Bologna, another sought-after youngster has been recruited to accelerate the summer rebuild and chart a long-term strategy.

Euro at Old Trafford (Manchester United)

Tuesday was a festive day for Madrid.

The unveiling of Kylian Mbappe, the talented striker who signed on a free transfer after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired, attracted 80,000 fans to the Santiago Bernabeu, raising expectations for the 2024-25 season.

The biggest signing of this summer window has cemented Real Madrid’s status as the dominant force in European football – but there is still one more target to reach before Carlo Ancelotti’s side can consider themselves fully integrated.

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Real Madrid have shown a keen interest in Yuro. Chief scout Juni Calafat and his assistants believe the defender has huge potential and have been closely monitoring his performances for Lille this past season.

The initial plan was for Real Madrid to sign a central defender in 2025, but serious injuries to Eder Militao and David Alaba last season – with Alaba expected to remain on the sidelines until October or November – forced a rethink. Euro was supposed to be the answer, a rising talent who could become another long-term addition to a team that could be in its best years yet.

But Real Madrid had a ceiling to their valuation. An offer of between €25m and €30m was the maximum they reached in negotiations with Lille, believing that Euro’s preference for a move to the Champions League holders would eventually force the French club to back down. After all, Euro could not be prevented from leaving in 2025 as a free agent once the final twelve months of his contract had expired.

Waiting a year before moving to Real Madrid was a clear risk for Euro. If the Spanish club changed their plans, suffered an injury or lost form, there would be no chance of signing him.

Real Madrid have used the free agent market cleverly, signing Mbappé, Alaba and Germany centre-back Antonio Rudiger on free transfers in recent years. They sensed the Euros would be next if Lille didn’t budge. They can also point to the signing of Euro-born Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer of 2022 and the arrival of Bellingham 12 months later as evidence they have become the natural home for Europe’s best young players.

Ferdinand, among others, was sent to sell Euros to United (Richard Sellers/SportsPhoto/All Star via Getty Images)

But Manchester United’s interest in the player has only strengthened Lille’s resolve. The club’s top brass had made it clear over the past two weeks that Euro would not move to Madrid, based on the offer they had made him. Euro’s preference for a move there was of no consequence to Lille, who were angered by suggestions that their prized academy product might choose to see out his contract and then leave for free.

Some sources in Spain suggest that pressure was put on Euro from within the French club, which pushed him to move to Manchester United, and the greater profit that this move would bring them. According to sources within the Euro camp, there were concerns that he would not play if he remained at Lille while waiting for a free transfer to Madrid. Going to the Santiago Bernabeu may have been Euro’s preferred option initially, but given the apparent stagnation in valuations, this would not bring the same financial return. The only offer he received from Madrid was flatly rejected.

Real Madrid made their position clear to his agent Mendes during a meeting in June. It was said that any move for Euros would have financial limits, but their intention to sign a central defender became clearer when Rafael Marin, one of the club’s reserve players in that position, was sold to Napoli for just over £10m this month.

Real Madrid were not the only ones who expected Euro to join Mbappe in another ambitious summer in the Spanish capital. A source familiar with the situation said: The athlete One of the major European clubs interested in Euro has been advised that the defender’s three preferred options are Real Madrid this summer, Real Madrid in the January window next season, or Real Madrid next year.

Liverpool expressed interest in Yuro but did not make an offer after learning he wanted guarantees of playing time, which they were not in a position to offer given they already have four first-team defenders – captain Virgil van Dijk, Jarrell Quansah, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez.

Liverpool rate Euro highly but see him as a long-term project rather than someone who can be quickly added to Arn Slot’s squad.

Even if Euros were open to fighting for a place at Liverpool, it is doubtful they would be willing to match the total fee of around £59m for an 18-year-old who only has one year left on his contract.

He was initially expected to be available for around £40m, but the fee rose after Liverpool’s involvement in the deal was completed.

From PSG’s perspective, they pulled out in the days before United pushed for the deal.

There was a desire to spend some time in Madrid this summer, testing Lille’s challenge as the weeks went by, but United’s moves last week changed the dynamic. A deal worth €62m, plus another €8m in potential add-ons, payable over several years, was clearly attractive to Lille, despite falling short of their rising demands of more than €100m earlier in the summer.

Euros jumps to head the ball during a French league match (Sameer Doumi/AFP via Getty Images)

The financial package was agreed last week, giving United the chance to sell themselves to Euros personally.

United feared a late competitive bid from Real Madrid would leave them vulnerable in negotiations but constructive talks on Monday, with a club representative sent to meet Euro in Brussels, brought an agreement on a five-year contract structure with the option of a further 12 months.

Euro’s approval of the move came as a surprise to many.

Real Madrid, who are believed to be considering other options, were informed on Wednesday morning of Euro’s decision to move to Old Trafford. “He will get a lot of money. He will be fine there,” said a senior club source.

The money raised has raised eyebrows in the Spanish capital, and other clubs have expressed interest in signing the player. Despite his potential, Euro has played 46 games in the French league and has yet to make an international appearance for France. There are no guarantees that he will adapt to the demands of English football. Some clubs believe that the fee eventually agreed for Euro is too high.

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How Joshua Zirkzee fits into Manchester United’s starting line-up

However, United were willing to look beyond the financial risks Madrid were unwilling to take, believing that this was simply what was required to secure a player identified by the club’s scouting department as having the highest potential of any centre-back of his age across Europe. Euro was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year for the 2023-24 season, his first full campaign in senior football, helping Lille secure Champions League football by finishing fourth under Paulo Fonseca, whose successes led to him taking over at AC Milan last month.

There was also the element of timing. If United do not sign Euro this summer, the opportunity may not come again with Madrid prepared to wait until 2025 and the expiry of his contract with Lille.

United’s interest in Euro predates INEOS’ takeover of the club last February, but his profile – young, dynamic and promising – fits in with the new long-term planning.

The focus has been on the youngsters who helped United stun Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May, with Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho all aged 21 or younger. Zirkzee is 23 but Euros will not turn 19 until November.

Euro will join a young squad that includes Hoglund, Garnacho and Maino (PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Signing Yoro will also be seen as a major coup for new chief executive Omar Berrada, who led the final negotiations. It had become an obsession, with the former Manchester City chief operating officer keen to beat Real Madrid to the title and signal a new direction for United. Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox, new signings alongside Berrada as sporting director and technical director, were also heavily involved. Wilcox flew to meet Yoro early in the process to convince the defender how much United wanted him and how they would develop him.

Director of player negotiations Matt Hargreaves was also heavily involved, securing the signings of Zirkzee and Euro in a short space of time, and also dealing with the complications surrounding striker Greenwood’s move to French club Marseille.

Euro completed his move on Thursday (Manchester United FC)

Manchester United’s defensive centre has long been an area in need of investment.

Despite signing Euro, the club are still interested in Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt and Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Further moves are likely to depend on sales and space in the squad. At a time of significant cost-cutting across all departments at Old Trafford, United have committed to spending €104.5m, albeit with payments spread over several years.

Euro was expected to provide long-term answers for Real Madrid in their defence.

The fact that he will start next season with Manchester United epitomises the changing landscape at Old Trafford.

Additional reporting: Mario Cortegana, Mark Critchley, James Pearce, Phil Buckingham, Laurie Whitwell

(Top image: ANP via Getty Images. Design by Eamonn Dalton)