According to Manchester Evening News, Eric Bailly could be on his way out of Old Trafford in the upcoming January transfer window.
The defender fell out with coach Jose Mourinho after the game against Brighton earlier in the season and has played only 21 minutes of Premier League football since.
As a result, Bailly’s departure from Old Trafford seems a likely proposition especially with United keen to sign a world-class centre-half in January.
But should the Red Devils really let go of the Ivorian international?
Eric Bailly: The story so far
Eric Bailly joined Manchester United in the summer of 2016, in a £30 million move from Villarreal, where he had built quite a reputation following a string of impressive performances, which saw him become one of the most promising defenders in the Spanish top flight.
The Ivorian made 25 appearances in his debut campaign, helping United win the UEFA Europa League, although the Red Devils acquired a disappointing six placed finish in the league table.
Since then, Bailly has struggled with injuries, as his 2017/18 campaign was cut short after sustaining an ankle injury that kept him out on the sidelines for over three months. Bailly featured in only 13 games during that season and only five this campaign.
And with Mourinho not going anywhere, the future seems rather bleak for Eric Bailly and thus, a move away from Old Trafford could be the logical choice for the defenders.
Should United let Bailly leave?
As far as United are concerned, it would surely be a gamble to let go of Bailly for a number of reasons.
Despite struggling with frequent injuries, the Ivorian international is still arguably the best Manchester United defender on paper and his robust style of play also suites well under the tactical philosophy of Mourinho.
Furthermore, he excels in aerial duels while his dogged defending and his robust style of play make him a tailor-made fit for United. And most importantly, Bailly is significantly a better choice when compared to the likes Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones.
But, at the same time, it is very unlikely that Mourinho will be willing to give Bailly another chance instead of signing a world class defender in January, meaning the sale of the former Villarreal defender could make sense as it would help them fund the move for their top targets.
It would be interesting to see what the United hierarchy has in mind once the transfer window gets underway in January.
