Eric Bailly, on Wednesday, completed a four-year deal to join Manchester United, becoming Jose Mourinho’s first signing as manager of the Old Trafford outfit.
“I want to progress to be the best that I can be and I believe working with Jose Mourinho will help me develop in the right way and at the right club,” Bailly said after the announcement.
But the question doing the rounds for United fans and their rivals alike is – who exactly is Eric Bailly?
Here we look to answer that question, taking a closer look at United’s latest recruit and what he can bring to the Premier League.
So, who exactly is Eric Bailly?
Eric Bertrand Bailly was born in Bingerville, Cote d’Ivoire – the same place as Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony. He was scouted at the age of 17 by Espanyol’s Emilio Montagut during a youth tournament organised by Spanish company Promoesport in Burkina Faso.
Within four months of Bailly’s debut, he made a move to Villarreal for a bargain £4.4 million. The defender was bought to replace the then Arsenal-bound Gabriel Paulista. At Villareal, he quickly established himself as one of the club’s first-choice centre-halves, combining well with Victor Ruiz. He played a major part in the Yellow Submarine’s top four-finish this year, conceding just 35 goals from 38 games.
Africa Cup of Nations winner in 2015
The defender helped Cote d’Ivoire lift the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in 2015, featuring in all six games in the tournament. Despite being the second-youngest player in the squad, Bailly delivered a commanding display in the final to help shut out Ghana, who had boasted the strongest attack in the competition. Bailly also coolly converted his penalty kick in the shoot-out as Ivory Coast won their first continental title in 23 years.
Where does he play?
Bailly is a powerful, pacy centre-back with remarkable control of the ball. According to UEFA.com, the 22-year-old frequently plays out from the back and looks to contribute to his team’s supply line. He can fill in at full-back too given his speed and ball skills, though he is more at home in the heart of defence.
Against Real Madrid, Bailly provided a standout performance for Villareal. He displayed great versatility after being deployed at right back to mark Cristiano Ronaldo and later Gareth Bale and managed to keep them quiet despite suffering from a dislocated shoulder for much of the second-half. Villarreal eventually won the match 1-0.
Strengths and weaknesses?
The exciting young talent is fast, athletic and strong; making him a formidable presence in one-on-one situations. His positioning is solid – he averages 2.4 interceptions per game. He is versatile and has shown the ability to learn quickly. He is confident, aggressive and ambidextrous.
But Bailly’s problems with on-field discipline is something that Mourinho would need to monitor. He received 10 yellow cards and one red in La Liga last season, but if he can learn to control his temper then he clearly has the tools to become a top player.
