Eric Bailly says he hopes to get to play alongside Victor Lindelof for Manchester United, should the club move to sign the Swedish international.
United were linked with a transfer for the Benfica centre-back in December, with a £38 million deal mooted for the January transfer window
, as reported by the Mirror.
And although their interest has cooled due to United’s recent form, Bailly, who is away at the African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast, would welcome Lindelof at the club.
“I hope to play with him. Hopefully he will help us,” he told Fotbollskanalen following the Ivory Coast’s 2-1 win over Sweden.
“He is a very good player. He has great qualities and will certainly do well if he comes to us.
“We have many good central defenders – Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones – but I hope I get to play with Lindelof.
“I don’t have a guaranteed place and I know I have to be good to play. We’re all fighting to play. I think we have done well. We have done our best.
“The day we get to play, if it comes, we must take advantage of that opportunity. I think we would fit well together.”
United have won their last eight games across all competitions and are unbeaten in the Premier League since mid October.
The form of Rojo and Jones as a central defensive partnership has been a real plus of late, and even though they are without Bailly for around a month Mourinho doesn’t feel the need for reinforcements.
Lindelof has made 15 appearances for Benfica in the Portuguese Primeira Liga this season, winning 62% of his aerial duels and completing 89% of his passes.
While it seems unlikely United will be active in the current window, a move for the 22-year-old could be forthcoming in the summer.
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