'VVD level, easy' - Liverpool talisman name-dropped in huge claim on £52m Man United starlet

Former Southampton and West Ham United defender Jose Fonte has sensationally claimed that £52m Manchester United star Leny Yoro has the potential to develop into a player of similar calibre to that of Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

Yoro, who joined the Red Devils from Lille in the summer, appeared on the YouTube channel of former England international Rio Ferdinand and discussed a whole host of topics such as adapting to English football, injuries, Ruben Amorim’s impact as manager, and the team’s struggles on the pitch.

The France under-23 international thrived in Ligue 1 last season, but has so far been limited to just 15 appearances in English football after a frustrating start to the season with an ankle injury.

Leny Yoro earns Virgil Van Dijk comparison

Leny Yoro is a 19-year-old defender, who has been labelled as one of the very best young talents in European football.

He made his professional debut for Lille in 2022 and went on to make a total of 60 appearances while scoring three goals and picking up one assist. Yoro played alongside Jose Fonte during his first season at Lille and the pair helped the team record a solid fifth place finish in Ligue 1 while conceding just 44 times in 38 games.

Fonte played alongside Virgil Van Dijk during his time at Southampton and told Rio Ferdinand that he could instantly see similarities between the two at that age. Ferdinand explained: “Jose Fonte said to me ‘If he carries on working hard and continues to develop, he can reach Virgil van Dijk’s level, easy.”

Yoro excelled even further after Fonte’s departure and was nominated for the 2023–24 Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year while making the Team of the Season in a year which earmarked him as a top talent for a number of European giants. Liverpool Echo reported over the summer that the Reds were knocked back with a £42m offer for the young defender while reports in Spain have also suggested that Real Madrid had been keeping tabs on the star.

Ultimately it was Manchester United, who won the race to get him on board, but fans had to wait a while before seeing him make his debut, after he missed the first 13 league games with an ankle problem.

Yoro has started just six games across all competitions but is expected to play a hugely important role in the coming weeks after Lisandro Martinez sustained an ACL injury.

What will Leny Yoro need to do to reach Virgil Van Dijk’s level?

Leny Yoro is still a rising star at 19-years-of-age and while comparison to Virgil Van Dijk are an encouraging sign for Red Devils fans in a difficult season, it is clear at this stage the Frenchman still has a long road ahead to match the Liverpool skipper.

Van Dijk made a name for himself at Groningen in the Netherlands before joining Celtic at the age of 22. He was an instant hit in Glasgow and formed part of a team which won two Premiership titles and a League Cup while notably scoring 16 goals in 115 appearances.

His form quickly caught the attention of Southampton who after purchasing the defender for £13m were able to sell him for £75 million, a then-world-record transfer fee for a defender.

Van Dijk arrived with great expectation and has lived up to the hype by establishing himself as one Liverpool’s greatest ever defenders. Over the course of his time at Anfield, he has racked up 301 appearances and scored 25 times - including a last-gasp winner in the 2024 League Cup final.

He is blessed with great leadership skills, strength, composure on the ball and remains a player that Liverpool are desperate to retain as he approaches the final few months of his contract at Anfield.