Tag Archives: eric bailly

Manchester United were the highest spenders in the Premier League last summer but Jose Mourinho’s side are still short of competing for the major honours, having spent the majority of the campaign in sixth position.

Arsenal’s decline has seen the Red Devils rise to fifth, four points behind Liverpool with two games in hand, but Manchester United will be aiming for bigger and better things next season; as they eye a push for league glory and look to mount a challenge in the Champions League.

To achieve those goals, Mourinho will have to spend heavily to improve the squad once again this summer and there’s likely to be a host of holes in the squad that need filling- as the likes of Wayne Rooney, Luke Shaw and Michael Carrick are all likely to leave Old Trafford.

United have cash in abundance though and spending cash won’t be an issue for the Red Devils though and this potential XI looks phenomenal.

Manchester United qualified for the Europa League next stage with a fairly comfortable 2-0 away win against Zorya Luhansk. Although it was a fairly good performance from Jose Mourinho’s men, they will be disappointed as despite the 3 points, they finished 2nd in the group because Fenerbahce beat Feyenoord in the other match in the group.

These are Fresh Football’s ratings for Manchester United’s Europa League clash away to Zorya Luhansk.

Manchester United

Sergio Romero - 5

A comfortable night for Man United’s number two between the sticks, with the Argentine pulling off a decent save when required in the 72nd minute to prevent a Zorya equaliser.

Ashley Young - 5

No fireworks, but Young was able to do a job without any flagrant complaints. Kept himself in Mourinho’s plans by again showing versatility, this time at right back.

Eric Bailly - 7

A big display from Bailly, steadily returning to full fitness. The ex-Villarreal man swept up much of what was played in and around of United’s defence, providing a fair share of crucial interceptions in the meantime.

Marcos Rojo - 6

Comfortable in possession and helpful in recycling possession. Had little to do with regards to defending, however.

Daley Blind - 5

A quiet one from Blind, but solid nonetheless.

Ander Herrera - 6.5

Alongside Bailly, Herrera proved to be pivotal in pressing higher up and ensuring that the Red Devils recouped possession as soon as possible.

Paul Pogba - 4.5

Pogba was one of the few to try and speed up proceedings within the visitors’ large spells of possession, but his general execution of passes/shots from range left a lot to be desired.

Juan Mata - 6

The Spaniard has been among the most impressive for United this season and today, albeit throughout lacklustre spells, the former Chelsea midfielder stood out again before being replaced by Jesse Lingard.

Wayne Rooney - 3

A no-show from the United captain on the night. Passes going astray, poor control…forgetful. Does he warrant a place in the starting eleven at the moment? Not based on this performance.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 6.5

The goalscorer of the well-taken first goal prior to dazzling the Zorya defence with individual some brilliance. Mkhitaryan continues to impress in a United shirt since he was finally selected by Jose.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 5

A bit hit and miss, but the Swede began to grow into the game once Rooney was taken off, freeing up his habitual radius of action. Ibrahimovic was on hand to kill the game off late on with United’s second goal.

Subs

Jesse Lingard - 4

The winger was able to quicken play up, but made his fair share of poor choices in the final third.

Marouane Fellaini - N/A

Timothy Fosu-Mensah - N/A

It may seem as though José Mourinho has a grudge match scheduled for every weekend these days, but this one is truly eye-catching. The Portuguese manager returns to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, only this time he’ll be sitting in the opposing dugout, as Chelsea welcome his Manchester United side.

Just how fractious Mourinho’s decision to join a competitive rival has been for his relationship with his former club remains to be seen, as both teams go head-to-head in what undoubtedly looks to be the main event this weekend.

We’re not sure whether there’ll be any love lost, be we think we may have a pretty good idea where the crucial three points may be won on either side. Here are the three key battles to look out for:

1 - David Luiz vs. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

 

John Terry may well be on the brink of a return to the first-team after a spell out injured, but time will tell whether the Man United game comes too soon for the Chelsea skipper.

In his absence, David Luiz has deputised, somewhat unconvincingly next to Gary Cahill in the big games, and he could well find his stint in the starting XI extending itself for another week if Terry isn’t fit enough to start.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic often combats with the right-sided defender, in this case Gary Cahill, but it’ll be interesting to see if Mourinho instructs the big Swede to target his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate.

Contrarily, Chelsea may use Luiz’s knowledge on the fiery Swede when formulating a defensive duo in light of Terry’s potential return.

Few have been the times that these two colossal clubs of English football have come into a clash with lofty ambitions as of late, as Liverpool welcome Manchester United to the newly-renovated Anfield stadium on Monday night.

The Jürgen Klopp project and it’s suffocating press system has begun gaining some notable traction in the Premier League, in particularly in big games, whereas Man United and their array of expensive talent look to force their way back into prominence under new boss José Mourinho.

The match-up promises plenty, and in its lead-up, Fresh Football has sought to bring you a combined XI. Here’s how we’d line-up:

GK: David De Gea (Manchester United)

There won’t be many more straightforward choices to be made than including David De Gea, one of the best shot-stoppers in the world and, arguably, the main man between the sticks in Premier League football. Even if we weren’t to see him in such light, Simon Mignolet’s shaky past and new boy Loris Karius don’t offer us any great alternatives from Liverpool’s end.

RB: Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool)

Nathaniel Clyne’s Man United counterpart, Antonio Valencia, has gained his fair share of plaudits so far this season from a right back position, but his systematic nature in the final third, particularly his over-hit crosses, raises a few question marks. Meanwhile Clyne’s associative play makes him our preferred option, we’re not even sure Valencia, despite good form, is the best right back at his own club.

CB: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)

Among the trickiest of introductions to this combined XI is Eric Bailly, simply because Joël Matip has excelled so much in his short time in the Premier League as well. Whereas the latter might be better at reading the game, we think Bailly’s physicality, especially once his aggression is more refined, sees the Ivorian pip the ex-Schalke man.

CB: Chris Smalling (Manchester United)

As someone who can blend his ability to read the game, bring the ball out from defence and impose himself physically upon attackers, Smalling’s addition is a no-brainer. On his day, he’s one of the very best centre backs in the Premier League.

LB: Luke Shaw (Manchester United)

Alberto Moreno came to mind, who, based on his Liverpool career thus far, is enough to hand the left back slot to just about anyone else. Such is his unreliability that Klopp has chosen to deploy James Milner at left back, a successful invention in the meantime, but we’d prefer to go down the old-fashioned route and opt for a natural left back. It’s also Luke Shaw, by the way, so we’re in good hands.

CM: Daley Blind (Manchester United)

We’re striving for a team that makes sense, here, which in turn sees us scramble a little for a convincing midfielder to play deep in this combined XI. Although talented, Emre Can’s yet to leave his definitive stamp at Anfield, whereas his teammate, Jordan Henderson, is more box-to-box than deep-lying. The same goes for Ander Herrera at United, who’s come into the fold ahead of Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger. We’re trusting the versatility of Daley Blind on this one, who’s put in exemplary displays at left back and centre back in the past.

CM: Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

He’s been fairly underwhelming since his blockbuster transfer from Juventus this summer, but it’d take a brave man to overlook his talent in order to shut him out of this combined XI. We wouldn’t dare.

RM: Sadio Mané (Liverpool)

At last, some more Merseyside-based presence, and it goes to their new acquisition. Many an eyebrow was raised at the £34 million price tag of Sadio Mané when joining from Southampton, but the Senegalese winger has been quick to allay any fears and become an instant hit at Anfield. The 24-year-old provides a constant threat with his movement in behind, whereas his trickery and pace make him a real handful across the attacking third.

AM: Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)

The Brazilian can offer the odd irritation with his relentless attempts at goal from range, but when it works, there’s little left to do but admire. Coutinho’s general low centre of gravity coupled with his dribbling ability and flair are the real reasons why we think he’s best suited to the free role in attacking midfield, however.

LM: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United)

Up against the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, our preference is to go with Henrikh Mkhitaryan on this one. Being quick on the turn, the Armenian is lethal in transition, just as he was in his storming 2015/16 season with Borussia Dortmund prior to his transfer to Manchester United. We’re yet to see the versatile wide man exemplify the same prowess at Old Trafford, but should he be given the chance, it’d be no surprise to see him star.

ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United)

Even with Rashford and Martial in the equation, Daniel Sturridge might well serve as the biggest opposition to Zlatan Ibrahimovic at striker. With both representing different profiles of strikers, this one comes down to consistency, and almost by default, Sturridge’s injury prone history and mix-and-match attendance when fit under Klopp sees Ibrahimovic pip him. Additionally, the Swede’s hold-up play and playmaking ability is quite the sight when coupled with aforementioned runners in the attacking third.

We’ve been asking the fans who they think have been the best signings of the summer. This is your list and this, is your number 4.

The response when Manchester United signed Eric Bailly for £30 million by many was simply, who? A closer look at the former Villarreal defender would reveal that Manchester United may have got a very good deal.

£30 million for a defender of his age is no longer expensive if he can become a top quality defender. Arsenal have paid £35 million for Mustafi whilst Chelsea reinvested £38 million to bring back David Luiz who is now 29 years old. Bailly is just 22 and from what we’ve seen of him so far in the United shirt he could be at the club for many years to come.

What I like about Bailly is that he appears far more mature than his age, he is confident in possession, strong and tactical in his defensive work. He appears completely unaffected by the fact he is playing for Manchester United, such a high profile environment causes many players to crumble especially when they first move to England. Even David de Gea first struggled when he moved to England as the English game differs a lot to the Spanish, but Bailly has all the attributes to make sure the transition across Europe is smooth. His strength stands him in particularly good stead. He also has the pace to cope with the quick Premier League style of play and handle strikers like Jamie Vardy.

His performances in a Manchester United shirt so far appear to have placed him above the likes of Chris Smalling in the pecking order for Jose Mourinho. Although there were rumours about Manchester United signing an experienced defender like Southamptons Jose Fonte, it appears that Mourinho was convinced by Bailly’s mature performances that United did not need to add an experienced presence at the back, that in itself is a real compliment to Bailly and will give him plenty of confidence ahead of what is likely to be a long and successful Manchester United career for him.

Like any young player, he is likely to struggle at some stage but it appears that Bailey has the right qualities to overcome these obstacles and become a better player because of it.

£30 million may seem like a lot but for such a young player it could prove to be a bargain. Remember that it was Manchester United who invested £30 million in Leeds defender Rio Ferdinand more than 10 years ago when £30 million was worth a lot more in the market. Look how successful that move turned out to be!

The signing of Bailly, like Pogba shows that Manchester United are not afraid to invest heavily if they find the right player and because of both of their ages, despite the combined fee of more than £100 million they could easily turn out to be value for money, despite what the critics will say. As an Arsenal fan I admire Manchester United’s financial muscle and although they are criticised by many fan bases I believe that because they have the resources they are right to invest in players they feel will strengthen the squad. You cannot argue that in Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Paul Pogba, Manchester United have done very well in the market and it is a marked improvement on what previous successes to Sir Alex Ferguson had managed.

The signing of Jose Mourinho may have been the most important capture for Manchester United this summer as it has enabled them to bring top quality players in. Bailly, unlike the other signings Manchester United have made is not yet proven at the highest level but his early career is very promising and it shows that he has plenty of potential to become one of the best young defenders in the world. Manchester United had previously invested a lot of time trying to develop Phil Jones into that young defender that could mature at Manchester United and become a world class defender, but Jones has had setback after setback and the investment in Bailly shows that whilst Mourinho may not have completely given up on Jones, the Portuguese manager has been ruthless and signed a player he feels will improve the squad and from what we’ve seen so far, that is likely to be the case.

Manchester City spent more than £30 million on Nicolas Otamendi and Elaquim Mangala, and neither of them have proven themselves to be quality defenders in England. They have now chosen to invest another £50 million in John Stones. Manchester City have spent more than £100 million trying to find a young defensive partner for captain Vincent Kompany, and that highlights how good a deal it will be for Bailly if he indeed flourishes at United.

Manchester United have had a busy summer. First Jose Mourinho came in and then he started making big waves in the transfer market. Many thought that without Champions League football, Jose would struggle to convince the very best players to join the club, but those who thought that couldn’t be more wrong. Here’s the four signings he’s made and how good a signing we think they are.

1 - Eric Bailly

When Bailly signed you would’ve forgiven many Manchester United fans for not really knowing who he was. Many raised eyebrows at the £30million fee for a 22-year-old defender that had so far failed to make a name for himself. The early signs are that under Mourinho he will make a name for himself and he will justify that transfer fee. In the clubs opening three Premier League games he has been extremely composed on the ball, mature and strong in possession. He looks like an established Premier League defender already, but he’s only 22 and has played just four games in English football. It’s too early to say that Bailly will be definitely worth the money United have paid, but on the evidence that we have, it looks a good signing from Jose.

Fee: £30million
Grade: 8/10

Manchester United are on the verge of completing their first summer signing..

Last week we reported that Manchester United were set to complete a £31million deal for Villarreal defender Eric Bailly. Today, reports in Spain suggest that the player is set for a Manchester United medical on Tuesday.

A closer look at the reports say that United will expect to complete medical tests in the ‘coming hours’. An interesting turn of phrase that the Spanish press love to use and it doesn’t normally mean what is says. But this time the claims are replicated in the English media and there appears to be a strong consensus that Bailly will be Jose Mourinho’s first signing at Manchester United.
The report also says Barcelona could sign Bailly, although they appear to be more interested in Samuel Umttiti. If the medical really is as close as many outlets are reporting then it seems the deal is as good as done.

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The fee of £31million includes bonuses that may or may not be paid dependent on the level of success the player and club achieve in the coming years.

Bailly made an impressive 2.9 interceptions per 90 minutes last season, although his pass completion rate of just 77% may be worry for a team like United who will dominate most games. He has also made 1.43 tackles and won 1.56 aerial duels per 90 minutes. He is likely to replace Daley Blind in the line-up and stats show just how different he is to the Dutchman. Mourinho is known to like tall and fast central defenders ahead of possession based players. Bailly has managed more interceptions and aerial duels won than Blind and it is those statistics that will have attracted Mourinho to Bailly as he looks to add a long-term powerful partner to Chris Smalling in the heart of Manchester United’s defence.

Bailly has been one of the best players in a Villarreal side that has exceeded expectations this season, also impressing in the Europa League. His 15 caps for Ivory Coast at the age of 22 highlight that he plays with a maturity beyond his years and he is considered to be amongst the best young central defenders playing in Europe.

Despite the medical taking place today, a contract is yet to be signed. Manchester United will have to assemble a contract lucrative enough to convince him to join the club over teams like Barcelona, Man City and PSG, all of whom will be playing in the Champions League next season, an incentive Man United cannot currently offer. To convince him to opt for United Mourinho has surely given the player first team assurances that clubs like Barcelona would not be able to guarantee.