5 players signed by Mourinho who have failed to step up at Manchester United

#3 Eric Bailly

Eric Bailly in action in the Carabao Cup

Jose Mourinho’s very first signing as Manchester United manager - Eric Bailly was bought from Villareal for £30 m after some solid performances in his single season with The Yellow Submarines in La Liga.

Strong, a no-nonsense defender and willing to put his body on the line, Bailly was seen as the archetypical Mourinho defender, and it was not surprising that he quickly established himself as the undisputed first-choice centre-back in his debut season, making 25 Premier League appearances, as well as 11 in the Europa League as United, triumphed in Europe’s second-tier club competition and Bailly was named into the team of the tournament.

A serious injury suffered in his second season curtailed his progress, limiting him to just 18 appearances in all competitions as United finished the campaign in second place and suffered a round of 16 loss to Sevilla in the Champions League.

So far this season, he has also struggled for the game time despite being fit, with reports emanating that he has fallen out with Jose Mourinho after dropping him for his horrendous performances in the losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton in the Premier League.

There are speculations that Bailly could leave the club in January, and if the Ivorian international departs, it would have been a disappointing end to a United career which promised so much more upon inception.