Premier League giants Manchester United have been given the green light to sign Villarreal defender Eric Bailly. The Ivory Coast international has been on Manchester United’s radar for quite a while, and is widely seen as the right person to solidify the club’s defence ahead of the new season.
The Red Devils have always wanted to add an experienced defender to their squad, and La Liga has been their favorite market to shop for such a player. Last summer, they narrowly missed out on a deal to sign former Valencia defender Nicolas Otamendi, who was later snapped up by rivals Manchester City.
Bailly (below) is said to be worth 31.3 million pounds, but the English giants could pay a lower amount for his services if negotiations between the three parties yield fruits.
Speaking to Spanish publication Marca, Villarreal CEO Fernando Roig Nogueroles revealed:
"There is a team that is very interested and if the three parties agree there will be no problems.
"If the player wants to leave and Manchester want to pay, we will reach an agreement."
The 22-year-old joined Villarreal last season from La Liga outfit Espanyol on a five and a half year deal. He made 35 league appearances for his club, and steered them to a fourth place finish in the league, and a semi-final berth in the Europa League.
