4Eric Bailly

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BURNLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 02: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Manchester United in discussion with Eric Bailly of Manchester United as he replaces Paul Pogba of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Manchester United at Turf Moor on September 2, 2018 in Burnley, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
  • Age: 24
  • Position: Centre-Back
  • Contract until: 2020
  • Club: Manchester United
  • Estimated transfer value: £27m

Reports in December suggested Jose Mourinho was ‘ready to sell’ Eric Bailly, as the former Manchester United manager looked to free up some space for a replacement centre-back. Sky Sports called the centre-back ‘out of favour’ in Manchester, and said defensive reinforcements might be on Arsenal’s radar.

The Telegraph wrote that Mourinho was ‘prepared to cash in’ on Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo to bring in a new defender. However, it was never clear whether Manchester United were in favour of the sale or not, and now we’ll have to wait and see if they’re planning to offload him with a new manager in charge.

If Bailly does leave, the Express write that Arsenal have been touted with a move for him. Unai Emery knows the 24-year-old pretty well from his time in Spain, as the Ivory Coast international played for Espanyol and Villarreal whilst Emery was with Sevilla.

With Villarreal, the defender was massively impressive, and a big part of the La Liga side’s fantastic defensive record in 2015/16. For whatever reason, he’s never quite been able to consistently rediscover that form with United. Still so young for a centre-back, perhaps a move would help him get back to his best.