Manchester United defender Eric Bailly will not be leaving Old Trafford this summer despite the club’s extensive hunt for a new centre back, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The newspaper reports that the Ivorian fell out of favour with Jose Mourinho in the back end of last season, starting just twice in the season’s final two months, with the United boss apparently angry with the player’s brittleness.
However the 24-year-old, who was Mourinho’s first Old Trafford signing when he arrived from Villarreal for £34million in 2016, has now been told he will remain with the club.
United have reportedly targeted both Leicester’s Harry Maguire and Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld this summer, with Mourinho clearly keen to shore up his defensive options.
OPINION
It doesn’t really make any sense for United to give up on Bailly just yet. His second season at Old Trafford wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, but he showed his quality in a tremendous first campaign at the club. The increased competition generated by the arrival of Maguire or Alderweireld would hopefully spur the Ivorian on to better performances and a consistent run in the side. Certainly he appears to be in a better spot than last year’s disappointment Victor Lindelof or the soon to depart Marcos Rojo. He needs an uninterrupted run in the team in order to disavow Mourinho of the notion that he is brittle, but that will surely come this term. In terms of pure defensive talent Bailly certainly appears the best choice to partner any new arrival at the heart of United’s defence next season. So no, now is not the right time to cast him aside.