Manchester United have made a breakthrough in contract negotiations with center-back Eric Bailly, who is now in advanced talks about a new four-year deal.
Bailly’s current contract is scheduled to enter its final 12 months this summer and there have been serious doubts about whether the Ivorian would be extended. He was rumored to be ready to reject a new deal amid fears that United just wanted him to sign in to raise his price tag.
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Bailly had been reluctant to sign an extension Pool / Getty Images
Playing time has been a real issue for Bailly, who due to a combination of injuries and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s preference to play Victor Lindelof together with Harry Maguire, has been limited to only 15 matches in all competitions this year.
According to ESPN, Bailly has sought assurances from Solskjaer that he would actually play regular minutes if he stayed at Old Trafford, and the 27-year-old is now perceived as convinced that he is in line for frequent starts if he stays fit.
After a breakthrough last week, United are putting the finishing touches on a new deal for Bailly that would keep him at Old Trafford until 2025.
Sunshine wants to keep Bailly | Pool / Getty Images
Solskjaer has warned Bailly that his preferred partnership will remain Maguire and Lindelof, while there are also plans to spend heavily on a new midfielder such as Sevilla’s Jules Kounde or Villarreal’s Pau Torres, but the boss has stressed that the door is open for Bailly to play if he earn minutes.
It’s a big shift from the outlook for Bailly’s future from last month. An exit from the club seemed safe and informal talks had already taken place about the idea of sending him back to Villarreal as part of a deal for Torres, but Bailly now seems to hold on a bit longer.
Club officials have long been concerned about his injuries. Since joining in 2016, he has managed just 100 matches in all competitions and has not made it over 13 Premier League outings in four of his five seasons at the club.
But when he is in shape, Bailly has produced several impressive performances and has apparently done enough to convince United that he will not be the midfielder sold this summer.
Bailly has been plagued by fitness problems Pool / Getty Images
Instead, it is most likely injured Phil Jones. While United are keen to get rid of Jones’ high salaries – he still has two years left on his contract – the fact that he has not played a competitive game in over a year due to a knee injury means it is more likely that a loan will be moved.
United must also decide on the future of Axel Tuanzebe. The 23-year-old is the fourth choice in his position at United and will face further down in the picking order if a new signing is made, and whether Tuanzebe would accept such a side role is unclear.
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