Eric Bailly faces a battle to prove himself at Manchester United amid reports suggesting Jose Mourinho is open to selling him next month.
The Ivorian started the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool but, let’s face it, it’s difficult to think of a defensive player at United’s disposal who didn’t.
And ESPN say Arsenal have identified Bailly as a transfer target for January.
But what knock-on effects would this potentially game-changing (if unlikely) January transfer deal have at Arsenal, Manchester United and beyond? Here are the would-be winners and losers…
Winner: Unai Emery
Unai Emery signs a player he wants and is, therefore, a winner. A bold call, right? OK, no it isn’t, but there is more than meets the eye if this potential transfer were to come off.
(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
For starters, Emery swooping in for one of his direct rival’s young centre-backs to enhance his own side’s prospects would be a huge statement of intent from the Spaniard.
Despite his struggles at Manchester United, there is a quality defender in Bailly and given his natural tendency to carry the ball or play it short, rather than aimlessly clear it or avoid the first station pass, he actually fits Emery’s blueprint perfectly.
Loser(s): Rob Holding & Konstantinos Mavropanos
Just when it looked like Rob Holding’s Arsenal career might be fizzling out, the 23-year-old found himself at the heart of the Gunners’ defence and looking more and more like a future England international.
(Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)
That was until he suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage during Arsenal’s recent draw with Manchester United, an injury which is set to keep Holding out for the rest of the season. The arrival of another centre-back of a similar age would come at the worst possible time for him.
Likewise for young Konstantinos Mavropanos, who has hovered on the fringes of the Arsenal first team without really threatening to make a breakthrough since his arrival last season.
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The Greek U21 international was probably, and quietly, pleased to see Arsenal’s centre-back crisis unfold, as he is very close to returning to fitness from a groin strain himself.
Winner: Marcos Rojo
As one door closes, another opens. Bailly moving to Arsenal, or anywhere, could be just be the shot in the arm Marcos Rojo’s Manchester United career needs.
Rojo joined United in 2014 but due to injury and his erratic nature has seen his playing time steadily decrease to the point where he has made just three appearances in all competitions this season.
(Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)
The 59-cap Argentina international has seen the likes of Bailly himself, as well as Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Victor Lindelof all move ahead of him in the pecking order and he must now be wondering if there is room for him Mourinho’s squad.
Bailly leaving would at least move one obstacle out of Rojo’s way, and the aforementioned report says United would rather part with the Argentine in January. Should Arsenal lure Bailly away, though, it might well buy Rojo another half-a-season or so as a squad option under Mourinho.
Loser: Gary Cahill
Gary Cahill’s Chelsea career is over. Maurizio Sarri effectively confirmed as much this week when he conceded the club captain might have to leave in January to secure playing time. And even if he doesn’t, Cahill’s contract is up next summer.
So, where next? Cahill could do worse than make the short trip to another of London’s most prestigious clubs, Arsenal, who ESPN say have also identified the Chelsea centre-back as a short-term replacement for Holding.
Buying Bailly will snuff out Cahill’s Arsenal escape route, though, of course. In which case, he’ll probably end up at Fulham. And that is a very stressful situation to be going into, one that could very well result in a Championship spell for the England international next season.
Winner: Eric Bailly
Bailly could easily have fallen into the ‘loser’ category on this one, on account of being deemed surplus to requirements by a club with an extremely unconvincing defence.
(Photo credit should read LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images)
However, we think he would actually be one of the biggest winners from this potential move. If Bailly were to rock up at the Emirates, he would finally be escaping the negativity and uncertainty of playing under Mourinho right now.
And in Emery, Bailly would be joining a manager who has reportedly been an admirer of his Espanyol days in La Liga.
Loser: Jose Mourinho
It has never been a secret that Mourinho lives very much in the here and now, forever planning for the short term and showing a massive lack of interest in developing youth.
(Photo credit should read JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Bailly was Mourinho’s first signing as Manchester United manager and was just 22 years old when he arrived at the club. The Ivorian should have been the centrepiece of the Mourinho’s Man United defence for years to come and instead, Mourinho has chopped, changed and subjected those out of form to public criticism.
Allowing Bailly to leave, as the Telegraph report he is minded to do, would represent a massive failure in player development. And how many of those can one manager get away with before the job offers from elite clubs dry up?
Loser: Manchester United fans
Man United fans often don’t get the credit they deserve; they’re actually quite a patient bunch.
Despite the turgid, meagre football that has been served up at Old Trafford this season, the boos and murmurs of discontent have generally been kept to a barely audible level.
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
However, right now there the prospect of Phil Jones outlasting Bailly is a very real prospect.
The former Villarreal defender has actually become something of a favourite among fans at Old Trafford through his style of play and effort. Meanwhile, as we all know, Jones has become something of a ‘meme lord’ (see his own goal against Valencia last week).
Mourinho likely won’t be around to pay for the short-termism represented by offloading Bailly. Manchester United’s fans will be, though.
The post Winners & losers if Arsenal actually signed Eric Bailly from Man Utd appeared first on Squawka News.
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