Liverpool pursued Lille defender Leny Yoro during the early months of 2024 before shifting long-term attention toward Rennes prospect Yaka, according to a report by The Times. While initial information-gathering centered on Yoro—widely regarded as a generational defensive talent—club contacts across the English Channel repeatedly highlighted Yaka as a player with immense upside despite sitting slightly behind Yoro in his developmental timeline.
Manchester United Secures Yoro While Liverpool Seeks Young Defenders
During the 2024 summer transfer window, Manchester United secured Yoro for a fee reaching up to £60 million after offering the then-18-year-old center-back guaranteed playing time that Liverpool was unwilling to match. Even if Yoro had moved to Anfield, Liverpool’s recruitment staff intended to continue tracking Yaka. With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez advancing in age, adding an elite young central defender remained a strategic necessity for the Merseyside club.
Developmental Path Through Paris and Brittany
Born in Bondy in the northeastern suburbs of Paris—the same hometown as Kylian Mbappé and William Saliba—Yaka captained France at multiple youth levels and earned a reputation as a grounded leader. Over subsequent seasons, Liverpool intensified their scouting of the defender. Observers noted his speed, distribution, and particularly his vertical passing through midfield lines during a loan spell at Clermont and subsequent performances for the Rennes senior side. Yaka demonstrated positional versatility by operating at left and right back to sharpen his one-on-one defending, alongside playing as a right-sided center-back in a back-three system. His scouting file remained unaffected even by a red card during Rennes’ 5–0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in December 2025.
Securing the Deal Ahead of Chelsea
In January, Liverpool moved decisively to sign Yaka, overcoming Chelsea, who had long believed they led the race for the defender. Then-sporting director Richard Hughes and chief scout Barry Hunter used positive relationships with the player's representatives, alongside Liverpool's established track record of developing young talent. Although Rennes insisted on retaining Yaka on loan through the end of the season—prior to the player undergoing shoulder surgery that curtailed his remaining appearances for the club—and despite initial debate surrounding a £60 million valuation for a player with just 33 top-flight league appearances, Yaka integrated quickly into the squad under manager Andoni Iraola.
Financial Contrast With the Marc Guéhi Pursuit
Earlier, Manchester City signed Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace for an initial fee of approximately £20 million as the defender approached the end of his contract, prompting some Liverpool supporters to question the club’s transfer direction after Liverpool previously tabled a £35 million bid for Guéhi. Over the long term, however, Hughes’ strategic restraint was validated. Manchester City committed to a weekly wage of roughly £300,000 for Guéhi, pushing total contract costs past £100 million over five and a half years by the time the player turns 31. Liverpool maintained confidence that Yaka offered a more complete profile for a top-tier European career. This context also influenced discussions surrounding Ibrahima Konaté, whose contract renewal talks stalled toward the end of the previous season. Because Yaka arrived with a starting-caliber projection, meeting Konaté’s higher wage demands after a difficult, form-lacking season was no longer treated as mandatory by the club.
Zinedine Zidane Praises Yaka After International Matches
Yaka collected strong appraisals across both club fixtures and international duty. Following matches with the France national team, head coach Zinedine Zidane utilized four “very good” descriptors to describe the defender’s performances.
