Sevilla are looking to bolster their center-back options by signing out-of-favor Manchester United defender Eric Bailly although the defender is planning to turn down the re-union.
The defender, 28, has fallen even further out of favor at Old Trafford after the Red Devils signed Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez this summer.
Sevilla are reportedly in talks to sign the defender, who has been approached by Roma and AC Milan in recent days.
Bailly is one of three players on Sevilla’s shortlist to improve their backline, with Thilo Kehrer of Paris Saint-Germain also a possibility.
Jose Mourinho, who signed Bailly to Old Trafford in 2016, may still hope that the midfielder will choose to join Roma, although Sevilla now hold the lead.
United are reported to be anxious to unload players after bringing in a handful of new players this summer under new manager Erik ten Hag.
Bailly is expected to be one of those permitted to go this window, as he is below Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane, and Martinez in the pecking order.
Bailly, who has made 113 appearances for the club since his arrival in 2016, has had a difficult time with injuries.
Since his debut season, the defender has not appeared in more than 20 Premier League games in any of the subsequent seasons.
His tenure at the club has coincided with a collapse in United’s fortunes, with the club eager to reverse the astounding decline that has characterized the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s future is still up in the air, with the attacker once again telling the club that he wants to leave in search of Champions League play this summer.
Ten Hag is thought to want to keep the player, who participated in the club’s final pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.