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Manchester United defender Leny Yoro is facing an uncertain future at the club if his performances don't improve, it has been claimed.

Yoro joined during Erik ten Hag's tenure at Old Trafford, arriving from Lille for £52million on a five-year contract in July 2024.

The Frenchman has since made 70 appearances for the Red Devils, featuring 32 times in the Premier League last term as United returned to the Champions League. But his opportunities in the league have been limited at the start of this campaign, and he could be playing for his future under Michael Carrick.

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Man United eyeing three defenders as potential Leny Yoro replacement

Yoro played ninety minutes in their Carabao Cup exit against Brighton and their 5-0 thrashing of Sabah in the Champions League. Meanwhile, in England's top flight, he has featured for just 22 minutes, coming off the bench in the 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town and the 2-2 draw with Everton.

Carrick has preferred a defensive partnership of Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez in the Premier League, and with the 20-year-old seeing his development stall across the last 12 months, TEAMtalk claims that the former Lille man is 'playing for his Manchester United future'.

The report adds that, while there are 'no immediate plans to move him on', the imminent return of Matthijs de Ligt and United's stance on signing another centre-back in 2027 suggest the Frenchman's 'future is far from certain'.

United are said to be lining up three defenders as possible replacements for Yoro, including long-term Everton target Jarrad Branthwaite, Stuttgart’s Finn Jeltsch and Lecce's Tiago Gabriel.

Only last week it was revealed that the 13-time Premier League champions reactivated their interest in Branthwaite, who has been valued at a whopping £80million, while Jeltsch and Gabriel two of the newest names INEOS have added to their transfer wishlist.

This update only highlights the importance of Yoro making a 'significant impression' in the coming months to show why he deserves a place in Carrick's long-term plans, though regardless of whether his performances improve, it is likely United will sign a centre back in January or next summer.

Martinez and Maguire both see their contracts expire in June 2027, and as it stands, they will be leaving the club on a free transfer.

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Michael Carrick thinks Leny Yoro has big future at Man United

Yoro came under criticism for his performance during United's 3-2 defeat to Brighton in the Carabao Cup, with many claiming that the Frenchman struggled.

For a while, the towering defender hasn't produced the top-level displays required to cement his place in the starting lineup, raising doubts over his defensive and ball-playing abilities.

However, when asked whether there is a 'cut-off point' when Yoro needs to start performing, Carrick was quick to defend the youngster while insisting that he has a big future at the club.

“No, he's 20, Leny, you know? And again, in context, he's got a fantastic future ahead of him and a lot of potential, and he's learning, he's developing," Carrick said.

"To be at this club in place as a centre-back at such a young age, it's a challenging position. It's one that he can do for sure; it's one that Ayden [Heaven] can do for sure, but there's no cut-off point.

"Some players progress and find that when they're 18, they're at that level where they can really perform. Some players, like Leny, showed he can perform. I've got no worries for Leny. I think he does a lot of really good things, and it’s part of learning.

"Sometimes it might be 20, sometimes you see players 22, 23, 24 where they start developing. So there's definitely no cut-off point. He's just got to keep progressing and moving in the right direction, wanting to learn, keep improving, getting more opportunities.

"He's doing a lot of good things, and I think we've got to be careful again, and I certainly won't [be] making knee-jerk decisions on certain players just because of one game or one half or one moment in a game, and we've got a lot of belief in Leny for sure.”