“We haven’t seen a lot of Arda” - Real Madrid target Leny Yoro responds when asked to choose between Arda Guler and Lamine Yamal

Real Madrid-linked defender Leny Yoro was recently quizzed on his choice between two next-gen superstars Arda Guler and Lamine Yamal. Rather than making an outright pick, the Lille center-back opined that it was difficult to compare the two wunderkinds, as fans hadn't had plenty of opportunity to see the Turk in action for Los Blancos through the season.

“Arda Guler or Lamine Yamal? I can’t really compare. We haven’t seen a lot of Arda Guler yet,” Yoro told Oh My Goal France (via Madrid Xtra's X handle). “He came back, he played great matches and scored. Lamine is also a great player."

After his headline-grabbing transfer to Santiago Bernabeu last summer, Guler spent a major chunk of his debut season recovering from recurring injuries before making his club debut this January. Even after returning to fitness, the 19-year-old midfielder failed to break into a well-settled starting lineup under Carlo Ancelotti.

However, he scored six La Liga goals in just 379 minutes, achieving an impressive average of a goal every 63.17 minutes, across the 10 domestic games he played in the season's final months.

In contrast, Lamine Yamal, still just 16, featured heavily for FC Barcelona with backing from Xavi. The blistering winger appeared in all but one of the Catalan club's La Liga 2023-24 matches, scoring five and assisting eight times over the season (37 games). The Spaniard started in seven of Barcelona's Champions League fixtures and registered two assists in 10 games.

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Is Leny Yoro heading to Real Madrid?

Lille center-back Leny Yoro has conveyed to Real Madrid his interest in joining the club, according to The Athletic. But there still haven't been any direct negotiations between Lille and the Spanish giants. The 18-year-old is reportedly satisfied with the personal terms offered by the Spanish giants.

The Ligue 1 outfit values Yoro around €60 million, but Los Blancos are only ready to plunge around a fee of €30-40 million for the defender's services.

The Athletic reported Liverpool and Manchester United are also in the running for Leny Yoro's signature, though they acknowledge Real Madrid as the likely frontrunner in this transfer battle. Additionally, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has shown growing interest in the promising defender.