7 months ago
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Emmanuel Petit is confident Leny Yoro is destined to go to the very top but has urged the teenage defender to snub a potential summer move to Chelsea.
The Blues have invested heavily in young French defensive talent over the course of the last two years.
Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are already on the books and cost well in excess of £150million, while right-back Malo Gusto cost an additional £30m.
Chelsea will look to sign a new central defender during the close season given the impending departure of veteran Thiago Silva.
Petit, however, has implored Yoro to continue his development at Lille and blieves the 18-year-old can learn a lesson from William Saliba who benefited from loan spells at the likes of Nice and Marseille, before being given his first team chance at Arsenal.
‘I know Leny Yoro well, I watch him in France, and he’s been nicknamed the next Raphael Varan,’ Petit told Genting Casino.
‘He was 16 when he started with the Lille first team and Jocelyn Gourvennec picked him for his Marseille team and all of a sudden his life changed.
’The manager said he needed someone to repeat his age as he always was shocked at young he is. In the space of two years, he’s been an absolute rock in defence.
’But to replace Thiago Silva already? How many French defenders do they need? They have Badiashile, Disasi, Fofana and Chalobah and Silva there. It’s too many.
‘Chelsea need to focus on the players they have rather than buy more. Fofana has barely played and he’s meant to be one of the top French talents.
‘Let Yoro improve step by step, right now it’s too early. Saliba was perfect example, he was at Arsenal early on but spent three years on loan before cementing his name in Arsenal’s XI.
’The season Saliba did with Marseille changed everything and now he’s one of the best defenders in the world.’
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