Chelsea and Napoli in a hot battle to sign Manchester United defender

After Kalidou Koulibaly‘s departure, Napoli has been linked with a bid for Eric Bailly.
Eric Bailly is being linked with a move just 24 hours after starring in Manchester United’s first pre-season game.

According to Area Napoli, Serie A club Napoli is considering Bailly as a replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly.

The Italian side has agreed to sell Koulibaly to Chelsea for a fee of £33.8 million, The Guardian report, and he is set to undergo a medical imminently.

Koulibaly has linked strongly to Manchester United four years ago, at triple the price Chelsea is paying. Now at 31 years old, the Senegalese international is finally heading to the Premier League.

Eric Bailly is on a shortlist of players Napoli is considering as a Koulibaly replacement.

Napoli took Axel Tuanzebe on loan from Manchester United in January, but he struggled with injuries and did not make an impact.

Bailly was one of United’s best players in the opening game of the pre-season tour against Liverpool, and this may have put him in the shop window.

The potential arrival of Lisandro Martinez would push Bailly down to fifth-choice center-back, diminishing his chances of game time even further.

According to the Telegraph, he is available for transfer but is keen to stay and compete for a starting spot under Erik ten Hag.

If Napoli makes a solid offer, this situation may change. The Italian club hopes to fight for the Serie A title and will compete in the Champions League the following season. It might be an appealing place for him.

In terms of pricing, Napoli would not want to spend the entire fee earned for Koulibaly, but United may be able to secure a fee of approximately £20 million for Bailly. This may wind up being beneficial to all parties.