Jose Mourinho steps up pursuit of Manchester United star

Jose Mourinho has already signed one former Manchester United player this summer after the Portuguese manager reunited with Nemanja Matic in Rome.

Mourinho signed Matic for United in 2017 and now, he could be about to bring another one of his past signings to the Stadio Olimpico.

According to The Mirror, Roma has now stepped up their pursuit of United defender Eric Bailly, with Mourinho keen on signing him six years after doing so at Old Trafford.

Bailly has two years remaining on his deal at United and as per the report, a deal for the Ivorian could be made for less than £10m after a couple of seasons on the sidelines.

Read more: Erik ten Hag identifies €40m replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka

It remains to be seen whether Roma follow up on their interest in Bailly but United would certainly be receptive to a sale, with the club currently housing seven centre-backs in their senior ranks.

Axel Tuanzebe is another player who could potentially leave this summer after withdrawing from the tour – Bournemouth are said to be considering the 24-year-old.

SN’s verdict…
The 28-year-old has featured in all of United’s pre-season games so far and although he has impressed, he is unlikely to feature regularly under Erik ten Hag.

The arrival of Lisandro Martinez also complicates things for Bailly. There are now at least four defenders ahead of him in the pecking order, making a departure increasingly likely.

Bailly’s fitness has been a real cause for concern at United – he has made just 113 appearances in six years and last season saw him play just seven games in all competitions.

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