Tottenham can turn Manchester United misfit into a star

Manchester United aren’t willing to let Anthony Martial move to Tottenham, but sending Eric Bailly to Spurs is an entirely different matter.

Jose Mourinho doesn’t seem to think much of Eric Bailly these days. That could lead to a January exit for the talented defender. Tottenham and Arsenal are both very interested in bringing the imposing defender to North London. If Spurs succeed, Mauricio Pochettino has the ability to turn Bailly into one of the best centre backs in England.

Reports from England claim United’s manager blames Bailly for the club’s debacle at Brighton earlier this season. Many officials at Old Trafford still regard him as one of United’s best defenders, but Mourinho’s reluctance to play him may have consequences. Bailly isn’t the sort of player who is willing to sit on the bench and bide his time.

At 24 years of age, he knows he’s just entering the prime of his career. He isn’t going to spend significant time rotting on Mourinho’s bench. If he can’t work his way back into the starting XI soon, he will push for a move away in January.

Tottenham are not exactly short on talent at centre back. The trio of Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez have covered the position pretty well over the last two seasons. However, Alderweireld’s contract is running low and Vertonghen is starting to get long in the tooth. Adding Bailly to the mix would position the club perfectly to cover for any single departure.

The Ivory Coast defender also happens to be a perfect fit for how Pochettino wants to play. He isn’t the greatest ball playing centre back in Europe, but he can be a dominant defender in the air. That, combined with his terrific foot speed make him perfect to play a high line and help Tottenham defend set pieces.

The obvious question is whether or not United would really be willing to sell Bailly to a Premier League rival. It’s something they are adamantly opposed to when it comes to Anthony Martial, but it doesn’t seem that Bailly is held in the same regard by the club. United won’t sell him on the cheap, but they’re not going to demand a king’s ransom either.

At the very least, Bailly’s status at United is something Tottenham should be monitoring closely. Centre back isn’t a position of need for Spurs, but players with Bailly’s ability don’t come around every transfer window.