Manchester United's significantly higher contract offer was the determining factor in Leny Yoro's decision to snub a move to Real Madrid, according to a report.
The former Lille starlet was seemingly bound for the Bernabeu after becoming a mainstay in Les Dogues' defence, scoring three goals in 60 games for the 2020-21 Ligue 1 champions as a teenager.
Yoro was courted by several top-level clubs during the most recent transfer window - Liverpool were also said to have been huge admirers - but he was rumoured to have had his heart set on joining Los Blancos.
However, Carlo Ancelotti's side never came forward with an official offer for the 2005-born product, who subsequently made the switch to Man United in a deal worth an initial £52.4m.
The Red Devils could end up shelling out close to £59m if all add-ons are hit, but while Lille never received a proposal from Real Madrid themselves, Marca claims that they did make a contract offer to Yoro.
Yoro 'turned his back' on Real Madrid move
The Spanish outlet reports that the Champions League holders offered Yoro a yearly wage of €2.5m (£2.1m) to make the move to the Bernabeu, but their package was dwarfed by Man United's €9.5m (£8m) offer.
Having been offered almost four times the wages that he would have been on at Real Madrid, Yoro opted to join Erik ten Hag's men, snubbing Champions League football for Europa League competition in 2024-25.
Real Madrid had supposedly reserved a place at the Bernabeu for Yoro, who would have succeeded departing captain Nacho Fernandez, but the teenager 'turned his back' on the 15-time European champions.
Yoro's U-turn allegedly "hurt" Real Madrid, who ended up not signing a single centre-back in the summer transfer window, but Ancelotti still felt that his side had enough options in defence.
Yoro's Man United career got off to the worst possible start, though, as he suffered a serious foot injury in his second game for the club in a summer friendly against Arsenal, and he is yet to make his competitive debut.
When will Yoro return from injury?
The France Under-23 international was revealed to have sustained a fractured metatarsal in the loss to Arsenal, and he was given a three-month recovery timeline, which would put his return somewhere around Halloween if all goes to plan.
Updates on Yoro's condition have been few and far between as he undergoes his rehabilitation, although he reportedly took a huge step earlier this month by ditching the crutches.
The 18-year-old's recovery therefore appears to be going to plan, and he could therefore push to return for the clash with Chelsea on November 2, or failing that the Europa League fixture with PAOK five days later.
However, Yoro will certainly miss Premier League meetings with Tottenham Hotspur (September 29) and Aston Villa (October 6), as well as the Red Devils' opening three Europa League games against FC Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce.
Victor Lindelof is also nursing a toe problem, but Ten Hag still has Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt and Jonny Evans at his disposal.
