Leny Yoro said that Kobbie Mainoo and Amad Diallo are part of a key Manchester United trio that helped him settle in after he arrived under Erik ten Hag.
The 20-year-old French defender played under Erik ten Hag in the 2024 pre-season tour for Manchester United after he was signed from Ligue 1 side Lille.
However, Leny Yoro missed the opening months of the 2024-25 campaign due to a pre-season injury and returned to first-team action after Ten Hag was sacked.
Ten Hag was offloaded as Man Utd manager in 2024 and the 56-year-old Dutchman was replaced by Ruben Amorim during the last Premier League campaign.
What are your expectations for Leny Yoro’s Man Utd career?
Leny Yoro says Kobbie Mainoo and Amad Diallo were as important to him as Hannibal Mejbri was at Man Utd
Speaking on Manchester United’s official podcast, Leny Yoro talked up the close connection that he built with Kobbie Mainoo in the early part of his spell at the club.
The former Lille ace, who was signed by United for an initial fee of £52.18m, admitted that Hannibal Mejbri impacted him in the same way as teammate Mainoo.
“When I arrived, of course, Kobbie,” Yoro said on Inside Carrington.
“I spent a lot of time with him, even outside the training camp. I’ve also had Hannibal Mejbri when I arrived.
“He speaks French, so he stayed for two months, I think, but he helped me a lot to settle [in] also.”
Hannibal Mejbri came through the United youth academy ranks and played in the Red Devils first team on 13 occasions before he was offloaded from Old Trafford.
Former United manager Erik ten Hag was in the Old Trafford hot seat when the Red Devils sanctioned the £5.4m transfer sale of Hannibal to Burnley in 2024.
Alongside Mainoo and Hannibal, Yoro also singled out Amad Diallo for helping him to settle in at Man Utd due to the 23-year-old Ivorian winger’s ability to speak French.
“But honestly, all the lads helped me to settle, and they gave me some tips also about here,” he continued.
“Even Amad was here, of course, he speaks French. I have a good relation[ship] with everyone, so it’s more easier to adapt and to give the best.
“Obviously, they helped me a lot with this.”
How worried are you about Kobbie Mainoo not yet signing a new contract?
Leny Yoro on his dynamic with Kobbie Mainoo off the pitch at Man Utd since his 2024 transfer from Lille
Yoro has impressed at times since his big-money move from Ligue 1 and the United centre-back has continued to settle in further into the first-team squad at the club.
During his conversation about his transitional period, Yoro was asked about the importance of maintaining his relationship with Mainoo since his United move.
“Yeah, I think it’s important to have this,” he said.
“We [are] the same age, so straight away we had a good relation[ship], and I think it’s important for you as for the mood and stuff. But we have a lot of young players also, so we have a good group for this.”
Yoro added: “He helped me with this because I didn’t have a lot of addresses to go and I asked him and he helped me with that.
“But yeah, this is a prototype of someone, especially from here, to help you settle.”
Yoro has played 28 times across all competitions for Man Utd in the 2025-26 campaign and the Red Devils talent has picked up one assist this season.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
