Liverpool feel Man United's big signing would only have been 5TH CHOICE at Anfield

Liverpool saw Manchester United’s big summer signing as a potential fifth-choice player if he’d moved to Anfield this summer.

The Liverpool Echo claims that Liverpool saw Leny Yoro as their fifth-choice centre-back if he'd arrived this summer. The Reds did try to sign the player from Lille, put eventually pulled out of any deal.

Yoro was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid before Manchester United stole in with a massive offer. They paid £52m for the defender, who was one of the most promising young players in Europe last season.

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Liverpool wouldn't match that kind of figure - especially after wages were involved - and instead decided not to fight his move to United. It's a decision that split fans in our Twitter poll.

But it appears that the bulk of Liverpool's decision came down to this season and a feeling that Yoro wouldn't have been high in the pecking order. The suggestion that he'd have been fifth presumably places Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah above the teenager.

It's Quansah that is perhaps the most surprising, given his lack of experience. Liverpool are incredibly high on him, though, and there's a good chance that Arne Slot views him as the Reds' no.2 centre-back - Jurgen Klopp certainly did by the end.

Liverpool and Leny Yoro

Yoro's potential is outstanding. United took a risk in paying what they did, but it's one that a lot of clubs would have been happy to match.

Though, they're also in a better position to give Yoro a starring role, given their lack of elite centre-backs. Liverpool couldn't - and wouldn't - give him the same guarantees.

So with that in mind, it's easy to understand why Liverpool didn't pay £52m. After all, there's a small chance he'd have fulfilled that potential unless he played regularly and the club didn't see him getting that much playing time.

It's a decision that we'll naturally return to down the line - no matter how good Yoro becomes. Either Liverpool nailed their decision or blundered it, but it was always one that at least made some sense.