• Move meant to stop £120,000-a-week defender leaving on a free transfer in summer.
• Ivorian is out until January after suffering his second consecutive serious injury.
Manchester United are reportedly planning to offer Eric Bailly a new contract despite the defender’s repeated injury problems.
The Ivorian’s current deal expires next summer and United do not want to allow him to leave on a free transfer.
And The Mirror claim club representatives are ready to sit down with the player in the coming days and begin talks over an extension, despite the fact he is out until January after picking up his second serious injury in the space of a year.
An Old Trafford source said: “The club want Eric to stay and are looking for talks about an extension. We don’t want to lose him on a free transfer next summer. It’s just down to both parties agreeing to everything.”
“His injury record isn’t a major concern for us. We just think he has been unlucky with everyone over the last few years. Ole is a fan of the player and we’re going to convince him to stay, at least that is the plan at present.”
Bailly suffered a medial knee ligament injury in a pre-season warm-up match just months after returning from an ankle injury which ruled him out for four months. United still think he can provide valuable back up for new defensive pairing Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.