According to a recent report by the Daily Mail, Arsenal have seen their loan offer be declined by Manchester United for their Ivorian defender Eric Bailly during this January transfer window. The same report has also revealed that the Gunners wanted to sign the Man United centre-back for the remainder of this campaign with a view to making his move permanent next summer.
However, the Daily Mail claims that the Red Devils have no intention of parting ways with their prized asset and they certainly won’t do business with a fellow top 4 rival in the Premier League.
Bailly has been a sporadic feature for the Mancunian outfit this season and has been plagued with injuries recently which has hampered his career at Old Trafford. The 24-year-old has only made 11 appearances for Man United this term across all competitions which highlights the fact that he needs to earn regular game time if he intends to reignite his career in English football.
A loan move away from the red half of Manchester could benefit the player, but it is quite understandable why United are unwilling to sell him to one of their main competitors for an elusive UEFA Champions League spot at the end of this campaign.
On his day, Bailly can be a commanding defender inside his box. The Ivory Coast prospect is a defensive powerhouse who is aerially dominant, but unlike other big defenders, he also has the pace to make last-ditch challenges when left exposed at the back. He would have been a smart acquisition for the Gunners but it doesn’t seem like a deal would take place at the moment.
The North London outfit should instead concentrate on signing one of their other defensive targets this month. Unai Emery needs to find a way to stop his side’s defensive shortcomings which have haunted them time and time again so far in this campaign.
Arsenal are currently sitting in the 5th place of the Premier League table, but it could have been a far better situation for them if they would have been more solid at the back this season. The Gunners have shipped in 32 goals in 23 league matches which is simply not a good enough record for a club having UEFA Champions League aspirations. Hence, missing out on Bailly seems like a massive blow for Emery’s team and their quest to earn a top 4 spot at the end of this campaign.
