Toure: Bailly will win hearts at Manchester United

Eric Bailly is already the pride of the Ivory Coast and compatriot Kolo Toure believes he possesses all the ability to one day be regarded in the same way at Old Trafford.

Bailly did not arrive in Manchester this summer with the same fanfare as Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Paul Pogba, but the centre-back has arguably made just as much impact as those two superstars so far.

The 22-year-old, who was signed from Villarreal for a fee of £30million, has been a virtual ever-present in a United shirt this season alongside either Daley Blind or Chris Smalling in the heart of defence.

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And though the days of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are long gone, Toure is confident that Bailly will be mentioned in the same breath as United’s best-ever defenders one day in the near future.

“Eric started brilliantly and the whole of our country is really, really happy and we are all really proud of him,” said Toure. “We knew before his transfer that he has great quality because he was playing with Villarreal, but it takes a lot to play for a big club like United and do what he’s doing right now.

“He’s enjoying the city and he’s a really good boy. He’s tall, technically very good, has brilliant vision and he’s really calm. That calmness is the most powerful attribute he’s got.

“He can be a big, big player for United. He can be the future for United. What he’s doing right now is amazing and I think his future is really, really bright. He can be up there with the top defenders United have had.

“He’s young and will learn from working with one of the best managers in the world, and of course he’s going to get better.”