In happier times for Manchester United, a debate around world football’s greatest striker often centred upon Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arsenal superstar Thierry Henry.
Did the number one spot belong to Manchester United’s deadly Dutchman, or did Henry’s artistic aesthetics give him the edge?
Some 20 years on, we could be on the brink of a similar debate, albeit focusing on those who’s job is to stop goals rather than to score them.
Leny Yoro made his long-awaited Man United debut as Ruben Amorim’s side lost 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night. And, during the half-hour or so the Frenchman was on the pitch, arguably football’s next best central defenders found themselves going nose-to-nose.
Leny Yoro and William Saliba, two right-footers, are likely to spend the next decade or so battling it out for a spot at the heart of the French national team.
But Ferdinand feels that they may also be competing for the label of world football’s finest central defender, at least once Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk strolls off into the sunset.
Rio Ferdinand thinks Manchester United’s Leny Yoro could rival William Saliba
“I think he is going to be the best defender in the world. Saliba will be the best defender in the world when Virgil van Dijk gives up that post,” Ferdinand argues.
“It could be a year, it could be three years [before Saliba is number one]. Whatever it’s going to be, I don’t see anyone else.
“The only person I think will rival him, and it could be close, is Leny Yoro.”
There are four years between Saliba, now 23, and the teenage Yoro.
While Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was wary about throwing the former St Etienne wonderkid in the deep end – he spent two years back in France on loan before finally establishing himself at the Emirates – Yoro’s story is shaping up very differently.
Secured from under the noses of Real Madrid in a deal worth £52 million, 19-year-old Yoro would likely have around 10 or 15 Manchester United starts under his belt already if not for the injury which kept him out from July to early-December.
Yoro’s brief cameo at Arsenal, meanwhile, could hardly have been more promising.
There were a few perfectly-timed, almost Aaron Wan-Bissaka like challenges from a defender of whom the phrase ‘Rolls Royce of a centre-half’ was invented.
Ferdinand and Ruben Amorim delighted by Yoro debut in Arsenal loss
“[After] being injured, to come in… It’s not even that he came in and [played] quite well. He got in two situations one-v-one, at the edge of the box on his own. He dealt with them really well,” Ferdinand raves.
“It was great to see another young centre-half come on and look so clean in the defensive situations where, if you are going to be a top team, you need someone in the bakcline who can go one-v-one and say ‘Ok, I am going to take the ball from you’.
“It was nice to see that with two young centre-halves.”
Ruben Amorim was full of praise for Leny Yoro too following his first outing in the Premier League. Yoro’s rapid pace and giant 6ft 3ins frame promises to further enhance an already pretty well-stocked backline.
“Of course, Leny Yoro, you can feel the talent,” Amorim said at full-time, Man United losing for the first time in the post-Erik ten Hag era. “The speed, the way he handled [situations] one against one, in a very difficult stadium…
“[After] a lot of time without playing, you can see the quality.”
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