Eric Bailly - 5 things you need to know
Under Jose Mourinho, Manchester United have enjoyed a resurgence, winning their past six Premier League cards.
The Portuguese was thought to be keen to strengthen his rearguard, with a £38million deal for Benfica’s Victor Lindelof believed to be on the cards.
Southampton star Jose Fonte, who has been linked to United, submitted a transfer request to engineer an exit from St Mary’s.
I wait for Bailly. I hope the three [Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo] can control the situation
Even though United will lose Eric Bailly, who is heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations, Mourinho insists he doesn’t feel the need to make any acquisitions in that department.
When asked whether he will get cover for Bailly, Mourinho said: “No, I wait for Bailly.
“I hope the three [Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo] can control the situation in those eight matches.
"I will try to rest one in every game. On Saturday, I will rest one [against Reading in the FA Cup], against Hull [in the EFL Cup on Tuesday] another -- and we'll try to make a rotation between these three.
"We still have Daley Blind as the fourth defender in case we need him to play there and we also have Michael Carrick, so let's try."
United face Reading in the FA Cup third round today (12:30pm).