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What's the rumour?
Manchester United have had a shaky start to the 2018-19 Premier League season as they sit in lowly 8th position after 5 games. The Red Devils have won 3 games and lost 2 so far, raising questions about several players and their commitment.
Now, latest reports from The Sun claim that Ivorian centre-back, Eric Bailly, is reportedly ready to quit the club after seemingly falling down the pecking order at the Old Trafford-based club.
The report also alleges that United's Premier League rivals, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, are closely monitoring the situation.
In case you didn't know...
Eric Bailly was one of Jose Mourinho's first signings at the club when he was bought from Villarreal for a reported fee of £30 million. In his first season, he made 38 appearances across all competitions.
The heart of the matter
Last season, injuries and Mourinho's preference of other defenders saw him make just 18 appearances across all competitions, considerably sidelining him in the team.
This season, Bailly started both of Manchester United's first two league games but didn't feature in the third match against Spurs. In United's fourth and fifth games, against Burnley and Watford, respectively, Bailly was brought on only in injury time, thereby seeing him in action for just two minutes over the last three games.
With Phil Jones currently injured, one would think that Bailly would find it easier to cement his place in the starting 11. However, the 24-year-old seems to have tumbled behind Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling in the pecking order and is reportedly unhappy with the fact.
According to reports from The Daily Mirror, this circumstance has reportedly put Spurs and Arsenal on red alert and the two London-based clubs are believed to be monitoring the situation closely, keeping a potential January deal for the defender in mind.
Video: Just how good Eric Bailly is
Rumour Probability/Rating: 3/10
Regardless of whether Bailly is at the top of the pecking order or not, he has been touted to become an extremely good defender in the coming years. As a result, it is highly unlikely that United and Mourinho will allow him to leave, let alone to a rival club.
What's next?
Manchester United are set to take on Swiss team, Young Boys, in the first UEFA Champions League group stage match, two days from now. With plenty of matches coming United's way, it's only a matter of time before Bailly is given more opportunities to prove himself and put an end to speculation.
