Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho’s words of welcome for incoming central defender Eric Bailly were notable for their cautious tone.
Rather than talking up his big-money new signing, the Portuguese boss appeared to be doing the opposite, peppering his brief statement with expectation-killing phrases such as “young”, “potential” and “raw talent”.
Reading between the lines, Mourinho seems to be telling his new fanbase: don’t expect too much, too soon. And that’s sensible, because Bailly is far from the finished product required to become an undisputed starter for a team which holds aspirations to restore their lost status as one of the best in the world.
He is good, there’s no doubt about that. The 22-year-old is capable of being very good, in fact. But it cannot be overlooked that his career so far only consists of only 40 league appearances which means that he is still, as noted by Mourinho, a diamond in need of considerable polishing.
Bailly’s lack of experience makes him prone to rash mistakes by poor decision-making or by losing his composure at key moments – also evidenced by a poor disciplinary record which saw him receive 10 yellow cards and one red in just 25 league games last season. There’s no surprise in that.
After making his league debut with Espanyol in autumn 2014, he has only played one full season of first team football, which is simply too little to become fully mature. That is especially the case in the ultra-responsible position of centre back where, unlike the more creative, elusive qualities needed by attacking players, consistency and reliability are fundamental.
Nevertheless, Bailly has done enough to show he could indeed become a genuinely world class performer if he is allowed to develop and not rushed into excessive service too soon.
There is a simple answer to the question of what he is good at: everything.
Physically and athletically, he is flawless, combining pace and determined tackling with great aerial ability and bravery.
Villarreal only conceded 35 league goals last season – just one more than Real Madrid – and Bailly was certainly one of the main reasons why. He also plays with a determination and intensity which will endear him to Premier League fans. He certainly won’t be accused of lacking passion, the cardinal sin for many English fans.
With the qualities he possesses, there’s no doubt Bailly could become a fabulous player. Just don’t expect it immediately.
