Eric Bailly joins Manchester United for £30m from Villarreal as Jose Mourinho tips defender to become 'one of the best'
- Jose Mourinho has signed his first player as Manchester United manager
- Villarreal defender Eric Bailly joins for a fee believed to be around £30m
- Bailly says move is 'dream come true' and believes Mourinho will help him
- Centre back has played just 40 top-flight matches in his professional career
- Ivory Coast international was subject to interest from Manchester City
Eric Bailly has been confirmed as Jose Mourinho's first Manchester United signing after the Villarreal defender passed his medical at Old Trafford.
The 22-year-old, who has only played 40 top-flight matches in his fledgling career, joins on a four-year deal subject to obtaining a work permit and cost United a fee of £30million.
Speaking to the club's official website after the move was confirmed, Bailly said: 'It is a dream come true to be joining Manchester United. To play football at the highest level is all I have ever wanted to do.
Eric Bailly poses for a photo with a Manchester United shirt after the club confirmed his arrival at Old Trafford
Bailly has signed a four-year deal, subject to obtaining a work permit, which could be extended by a further two
Jose Mourinho believes Bailly has the potential to become 'one of the best around' in the game
'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. I am looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and to starting this new chapter of my life.'
The Ivory Coast international had previously been watched by Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, but opted for Old Trafford and Mourinho this summer.
The Portuguese manager also had his say on the new defender, noting: 'Eric is a young central defender with great natural talent. He has progressed well to date and has the potential to become one of the best around
Bailly (left, pictured playing for Villarreal against Real Madrid) has joined Manchester United for £30m
Bailly was part of the Villarreal side that beat Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final
'We look forward to working with him to help nurture that raw talent and fulfil his potential. Eric is at the right club to continue his development.'
The deal was confirmed by Manchester United's Twitter account, and the fee sees Villarreal make a huge profit on the £4.4m they paid Espanyol for Bailly in January 2015.
The central defender is exceptionally highly-rated and his former Espanyol coach Manolo Marquez insisted: 'I'm absolutely convinced that he'd be a success in England.
'He's similar to Sergio Ramos and while he's not as good technically, he's much stronger. Mourinho would be good for Eric because Mourinho always has his defences very well organised. He's also the type of very strong defender he likes to work with.'
Mourinho, who was at the employment tribunal for Eva Carneiro on Tuesday, has made his first signing
The Ivory Coast defender (left) has only played 40 La Liga matches for Villarreal and Espanyol
WHO IS ERIC BAILLY AND WHY HAVE MAN UNITED SPENT £30M ON HIM?
His rise has been meteoric?
Some players don't need much time to convince watching scouts and managers that they are worth investing time and money in and that has been the story of Bailly's career. He was taken from Africa to Espanyol on the basis of one outstanding performance in a trial game.
Ivory Coast made him an ever-present starter in their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations campaign after he had played just two friendlies for them. Villarreal signed him from Espanyol after he had played just five games in La Liga. And now only 35 matches later Mourinho has seen enough and wants him at Manchester United.
Bailly wears United's new training kit after signing
When did he first come to the fore in Spain?
In January of last year when Villarreal sold Gabriel Paulista to Arsenal for £11.2m and needed a replacement. They didn't put up much of a fight over losing Gabriel because they new they had found the perfect replacement in the £4.4m two-footed centre-back who can also play as a full back.
And he had only played five games for Espanyol?
They did not want to lose him but they only owned 50 per cent of his rights and as they did not have the money to buy him outright – they have since been taken over by Chinese investors but were struggling at the time – and they had to let him go.
Did he slot straight into Gabriel's boots at El Madrigal?
So much so that he is about to follow him to the Premier League. Villarreal buy young players that they know they will sell for a sizeable mark-up further down the line but even they are surprised at the prospect of losing Bailly this soon.
It was tough when he turned up and had to compete with experienced pair Mateo Musacchio and Victor Ruiz but he became first choice in less than a year.
Did he take time to adapt at Villarreal?
He was away on international duty playing in the African Cup of Nations that Ivory Coast won when he signed. He had had been a late call-up to the squad having just played two friendlies but he started all six games and scored a penalty as Ghana were beaten on spot-kicks in the final.
Back at Villarreal, coach Marcelino set about polishing the rough diamond. He has been giving him extra defensive drills ever since signing him and it now falls to Mourinho to complete his education. He has always had pace and a great leap and his positioning has improved thanks to that painstaking correction by the Villarreal coach.
He has no shortage of confidence – too much at times – and Mourinho will look to curb a tendency to take risks in the wrong areas of the pitch, but the raw talent is there in abundance and he is comfortable anywhere across the back four.
The 22-year-old central defender has already won the African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast
Is he ready for the Premier League?
It's the lack of experience that will be the immediate concern. He is a gifted athlete, a fierce competitor and an exemplary professional. Tactically he has needed to play catch up having had such limited top-flight experience in Europe.
He took a late interest in football in his home country and the scouts from Promoesport, who spotted him when he was 15 and brought him over to Espanyol's youth academy, had to watch in frustration as his progress was blighted by bureaucracy. He could not make his Espanyol debut until he was 18 because he did not have the correct paperwork. He trained and played friendlies until finally he could make his bow with the club's youth side.
He made just 21 appearances for them before then Espanyol manager Sergio Gonzalez gave him his first-team debut in January 2015 in a 1-1 draw against Villarreal, who then signed him five games later. He was on Barcelona's list of possible signings this summer and his speed of recovery and versatility would have made him perfect for Luis Enrique's defence.
What is he like off the pitch?
Shy and polite are the two words that most often come up when speaking to people at Espanyol and Villarreal. He speaks perfect Spanish despite only having been in Spain for four years and will perfect his English quickly. He is bright and intelligent and he will do as he is told by Mourinho, who will have the perfect opportunity to show he can nurture young talent.
By Pete Jenson
Bailly (right) is a gifted athlete but his lack of experience could be a concern for United supporters
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