Eric Bailly in action for Man United. (Getty Images)
Arsenal are set to open negotiations with Manchester United over the transfer of defender Eric Bailly at around £20million, reports The Sun.
The Ivorian, 25, enjoyed a promising first season at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho but soon lost his place. Recurrent injury problems coupled with some error-strewn displays at the back has seen the defender’s development stall at Manchester United, thus failing to impress Ole Gunnar Solskjaer since the Norwegian took charge.
Despite the Red Devils’ problems at the back, Eric Bailly has started only once in the Premier League since the turn of the year and has not played since the Champions League clash against PSG when he was subbed before half-time.
But the report claims Arsenal boss Unai Emery is a huge fan of Bailly and wants to bring the tough-tackling defender to the Emirates in the summer. United are also likely to accept a cut-price deal for the 25-year-old stopper, who has just a year on his contract.
Arsenal have conceded a whopping 46 goals in the Premier League this season and Emery is determined to make his team more robust at the back. They were once again ripped to shreds by Wolves, with the hosts scoring three goals inside the first-half itself to dent the Gunners’ top-four hopes.
Shkodran Mustafi remains an error-prone defender, while Laurent Koscielny has started showing signs of slowing down. Sokratis Papastathopoulos has undoubtedly been Arsenal’s best defender this season but even he’ll turn 31 in June. Rob Holding is sidelined with a knee problem, while Calum Chambers will return to the club after his contract expires at Fulham in the summer.
In the next season, Emery will have the likes of Holding, Chambers and Konstantinos Mavropanos to build his backline, but the Gunners would certainly benefit from defensive reinforcements. That being said, Eric Bailly will fit the bill perfectly at the Emirates.
The Ivory Coast international may have failed to live up to the expectations at Old Trafford, but at 25 he is yet to hit his prime and has time to revive his stuttering career. He has shown flashes of his potential in the Premier League but could really hit the ground running under a manager like Emery.
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A tough-tackling, physical and no-nonsense defender, Bailly is now an experienced Premier League player that’ll give Arsenal’s defence solidity and much-needed aggression. He would be a very cost-effective option for the Gunners as well. While a move will be tough to imagine, given the club that Ivorian plays for at the moment, it’s a move that will boost Arsenal’s back-line.
Arsenal need reinforcements this summer, as they need to spend money wisely to catch up with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool. And a player like Bailly would be a welcome addition to Emery’s side.