AS. They said we not paying the release clause which is €40m. But willing to pay £19m and rest depending on variables.
Eric Bailly | BBC say signing is imminent
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AS. They said we not paying the release clause which is €40m. But willing to pay £19m and rest depending on variables.
No one in here has seen him enough to judge properly im guessing. Regular Spanish football watchers say he is raw, so in that case it is a LOT of money, buying potential obviously
Time to get the muppet juices flowing.
Good article on him.
Eric Bailly: The Villarreal rock who Pep wants at Manchester City
The Bayern Munich boss is eyeing the Ivorian centre-back ahead of his move to the Eithad this summer. Paul Wilkes provides the lowdown on Gabriel's replacement at El Madrigal...
The 60-second story
It's five years since Eric Bailly first arrived in Spain, but it’s only now that he’s making an impact in La Liga. As part of Champions League-chasing Villarreal’s backline, the physically imposing centre-half is making up for lost time after a forced delay to life at Espanyol.
Upon arriving at Cornella-El Prat in December 2011, the Ivorian had to wait 10 months before receiving his work permit. It then took another 10 months for him to make his competitive debut for los Periquitos' B team in the Seguna Division B, helping them to an 8th-place finish in Spain’s third tier.
Bailly has put his ponderous start firmly behind him in the last couple of years, though. In January 2015, he featured in every game as Ivory Coast won the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in their history, and signed for Villarreal in the same month.
Bailly became Gabriel's replacement when the Brazilian left for Arsenal, then a horrific injury suffered by Mateo Musacchio gave him his opportunity to become Victor Ruiz’s regular partner at the back much sooner than anticipated.
image: http://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/s...line-image/public/gabriel_1.jpg?itok=6VIggMjK
Bailly was signed as the successor for Gabriel, who joined Arsenal in January last year
Why you need to know him
Bailly's ascent shows no signs of slowing, with the 22-year-old attracting the attentions of several top European sides including Manchester City.
He started the first seven league matches of the campaign as Villarreal conceded just four goals, but a dismissal for two yellow cards in the following game with Celta Vigo threatened to derail his progress.
"The sending off is absolutely absurd, and of course preventable, and completely indicative of the final result," lamented manager Marcelino. "It's something we have to improve, when for two consecutive two times an error is reiterated and we lose while playing in numerical inferiority."
The coach didn't hold the misdemeanour against the youngster, however, and he responded immediately with a goal and man-of-the-match display against Dinamo Minsk in the Europa League just four days later. Villarreal then kept a clean sheet against Las Palmas without the suspended Bailly, who was then immediately restored to the lineup for the subsequent victory over Sevilla.
For the next three months, Bailly was rotated in and out of the side as the returning Musacchio stepped up his recovery. He still impressed when called upon, though, with a sublime showing against Real Madrid a particular highlight.
image: http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/4-14-2016/Nv-tyc.gif
Bailly takes the game to Madrid
Strengths
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He's adept at using his body to shield the ball away from danger and his speed ensures he can make powerful recovery tackles when required
Bailly is strong, quick and good in the air, which makes him perfectly equipped for the demands of the Premier League. He is adept at using his body to shield the ball away from danger, and his speed ensures he can make powerful recovery tackles when required.
His positioning is solid and he averages 2.4 interceptions per game, while he’s also demonstrated a degree of versatility by performing well at right-back and left-back this term.
He’s not quite the accurate passer you might expect a player Pep Guardiola has designs on to be, although his on-the-ball attributes are improving with every game and his relative inexperience means he can be moulded by any future manager with particular stylistic beliefs.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_qpwxsJnuNU?enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=http://www.fourfourtwo.com&amp;wmode=opaque">Embedded video for Eric Bailly: The Villarreal rock who Pep wants at Manchester City</a>
Weaknesses
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He lacks discipline at times, which has seen him receive 11 cautions in all competitions this season, and his decision-making is not always as consistent as his manager would like
Bailly is still extremely raw and prone to making errors due to his limited top-flight experience. He lacks discipline at times, which has seen him receive 11 cautions in all competitions this season, and his decision-making is not always as consistent as his manager would like.
He’ll certainly need to improve his passing out from the back, too, with Bailly generally looking to play a simple ball to his centre-back partner.
The learning curve is steep, but Bailly has the raw ingredients to improve with the right guidance.
image: http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/4-14-2016/0pQWof.gif
Bailly sees red against Celta
They said...
"We analysed the market and looked for a player with a specific profile, similar to that of Gabriel Paulista, since we are looking for a complement to the other defenders," Marcelino said when Bailly joined the Yellow Submarine.
Then-Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard explained after including him in his 2015 Africa Cup of Nations squad: “In regards to Bailly, we followed him for some time. My deputy Philippe Beaumel went to see him in a game where the score was unfavourable for them, but he still had a good performance. I think he is a good player and if he can shake up the hierarchy, it will be good for us.”
image: http://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/s...-image/public/renard_bailly.jpg?itok=9eo_u-Ru
Renard gave Bailly his international debut in 2015
Did you know...
Bailly was spotted by Espanyol’s Emilio Montagut after taking part in a youth tournament organised by Spanish company Promoesport. The competition wasn’t even in his home nation, with neighbouring country Burkina Faso hosting the event.
What happens next?
Guardiola's impending arrival in Manchester has seen Bailly heavily linked with Manchester City; Spanish daily Marca recently reported that he was watched by scouts from the Premier League side in Villarreal’s Europa League clash with Sparta Prague.
As with Gabriel, Villarreal will be happy to sell should they receive a significant offer for the defender. If they don’t feel they are getting value for money, however, then they'll be in no rush to accept a lower transfer fee, with Bailly’s contract not expiring until 2020.
If it means we have a centreback playing at centreback next season I'm all for it.
Is he left footed?
That's what LVG would have asked the scouts.
That's what LVG would have asked the scouts.
Cadena SER are claiming the fee is €30m.
I have seen him in about 6 matches in addition to the first leg in the EL against Liverpool, and in every match I have seen him, if I had to pick out one player who would be most likely to become pure class and demand a high figure transfer it would be him. He has stood out every single time I have seen him.
IMO one of the biggest CB prospects around. It amazes me that he doesn't have more of a hype. I have about 7-8 posts in the newbies after each and every time I saw him with myself jizzing myself silly over him.
Will be a brilliant buy, and I pray this is true.
£23m.
Never heard of him, but Mourinho obviously rates him and that's good enough for me
Seems like a good deal for us. Get in
Not once have we been linked to this guy. Just shows the club is selling the English journos bullshit.
I had never heard of him, but after watching the utube video I'm content that were after him, he looked really good in the video and is only young and not to expensive too.
The benefit of having a coach who has had nothing to do but watch football for the last 5/6 months. Quick and decisive movements on players.
How was Gabriel for Villareal? He is absolutely shite now. Anyway, just about recall seeing this guy. Looks and sounds good and I'll be happy to see how it goes.
Apparently not in the Ivory Coast Squad today. So I guess he is finalising the move.
Hope he doesn't think he will be playing in the African Nations Cup ever again.
Can't help but feel that signing another first choice centre back (has to be first choice for this money) who can't really pass the ball either means Mourinho REALLY doesn't want his defenders to play from the back or is going to bench Smalling and sign two defenders.
Big positive that I believe, it means we could be after anyone.
Never heard of him, but he would be a great signing.
I do not understand how you have come to that conclusion, he is far superior to the four year older Smalling on the ball for example.
I trust Mourinho especially when it comes to defending.
Pretty sure the club would have been scouting him themselves. We aren't just going to shell €30m on a player based on Mourinho's words of mouth.
LVG could have been looking at him for all we know.
Read on Twitter that he isn't in the Ivory Coast squad for their game again Gabon today. Could be something to do with this.
Can't be any worse than our lot. 
We do if that the best we've got. I like the shot at 1:20 that made his highlights reel.
This is the summer we've been waiting for I feel.
Valencia-Smalling-Bailly-Shaw
would already be the fastest backline in the league. High line city.
Still think we're after 2cb's, not one.
would already be the fastest backline in the league. High line city.
Still think we're after 2cb's, not one.
Can't pass the ball?
Also he doesn't have to be first choice for that sort of money. Our squad is filled with expensive players. The fee for him is nothing big like it would be for a Stones or Varane.
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