Jose Mourinho makes decision over Eric Bailly's future

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has reassured Eric Bailly of a regular role despite the ongoing pursuit of a new central defender. 

United have expressed an interest in signing one of Harry Maguire or Toby Alderweireld this summer but so far, they have yet to find a breakthrough for either player.

Amidst this, Bailly is understood to have grown frustrated with the ongoing speculation but Mourinho has reassured him that he remains a key part of his plans for next season.

Bailly made just two starts during the final two months of the previous campaign with Mourinho expressing a keen desire to offer gametime to players likely to participate at the World Cup.

Regardless of this, he has been a regular in the club's pre-season tour of the United States and he is supposedly being pencilled to start alongside Chris Smalling for next month's Premier League opener versus Leicester City.