Manchester United enlisted the help of legendary defender Rio Ferdinand to persuade highly-rated Leny Yoro to join the club.
Yoro was pursued by several of Europe’s top teams, including Real Madrid, this summer.
Ultimately, he chose United, signing a five-year contract following a £52m move from French club Lille.
Ferdinand reached out to Yoro via social media, welcoming him to Old Trafford. The 18-year-old, speaking to the club’s in-house media, noted that the former England star had already taken a more direct approach in his mentorship.
“Two weeks ago, he called me,” said Yoro.
“We spoke for 10 minutes about Man United, so he helped me a lot to make my choice.”
“He mainly spoke about the club and what it’s like. That this is a historic club with a big story, and if I go there I need to fight for the club, to be ready, because this is the biggest club in the world.
“It was really good to speak about this.”
Yoro made an impressive debut in the pre-season victory against Rangers at Murrayfield.
Based on his self-assessment, Yoro’s style shows similarities to that of Ferdinand, who was signed by United for £29.1m from Leeds 22 years ago.
“The football of today, you need to read the game,” he said.
“You need to understand the opponent and I try really to be focused on that. After that, I’m really comfortable with the ball. You know, I’m not afraid to play.”