Manchester United are likely to purchase Lille’s promising teenage defender Leny Yoro for £52 million ($69 million), according to sources on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old had been linked with a move to European champions Real Madrid, but he is said to have flown to England on Wednesday for a physical with the Premier League side.
United will reportedly pay £52.7 million for the basic fee, with add-ons worth an additional £6.7 million.
Yoro, who debuted for Lille at the age of 16, is regarded as one of Europe’s top young players.
He would be United’s second close-season acquisition after Netherlands attacker Joshua Zirkzee arrived from Bologna last weekend.
United manager Erik ten Hag has been looking for a new centre-back since former Real Madrid player Raphael Varane left Old Trafford at the end of last season.
Varane and Lisandro Martinez were United’s starting centre-backs in their FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City in May, with Harry Maguire missing the game due to an injury that would keep him out of Euro 2024.
Ten Hag has been after Bayern Munich’s Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt and is said to have had two offers rejected for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.