Man Utd blow as Leny Yoro injury worse than first feared and £52million signing forced to undergo surgery

LENY YORO has undergone surgery on a metatarsal injury that will keep him out for three months.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag’s worst fears over his new £52million centre-half were confirmed following the op, which took place after the club’s return from their US tour.

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Leny Yoro was pictured on crutches before his op[/caption]

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The defender had looked promising in pre-season[/caption]

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Leny Yoro was forced off against Arsenal[/caption]

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Man Utd are short of centre-backs again[/caption]

Yoro, 18, suffered the damage in only his second appearance for his new club – a 2-1 friendly defeat to Arsenal in Los Angeles.

United have confirmed the French Under-21s star will be missing until November, his absence bringing back Ten Hag’s nightmares of last season.

The club are now certain to accelerate their pursuit of Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt.

So far United have refused to meet the Bundesliga club’s £42m valuation of Ten Hag’s fellow countryman.

But the loss of Yoro is certain to mean a rethink, while De Ligt’s right-back team-mate Noussair Mazraoui is also wanted at Old Trafford .

His arrival is dependent on West Ham’s purchase of Aaron Wan-Bissaka but Sun Sport revealed the former Crystal Palace ace’s switch is being held up over his demands to be paid the same £90,000-a-week wage he currently earns.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag has also confirmed that full-back Tyrell Malacia has a major metatarsal problem and will be out for two months.

The loss of highly-rated youngster Yoro is the worst blow to the Dutchman after last season’s defensive injury woes.

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He was forced to make 33 changes in his back line, blaming them for so many of the problems that would have cost him his job but for the FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City.

His side face their local rivals in Saturday’s Community Shield clash facing another potential defensive crisis.

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Harry Maguire had to be left out of the weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in South Carolina as a precaution to ensure he would at least be fit for the showpiece.

But fellow central defenders Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans were forced off with injuries during the game, along with Wan-Bissaka.

To add to Ten Hag’s problems, £72m striker Rasmus Hojlund is expected to be out for at least three weeks with a hamstring problem.