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Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing the signature of Eric Bailly. The Cote d'Ivoire defender - brought to Manchester United for an initial transfer fee of €35million in the summer of 2016 - has been frustrated by his recent exclusion from the first team and is unsettled at the club.

Both English Premier League sides inquired about the 24-year-old's availability ahead of the current campaign, and are understood to have subsequently reaffirmed their interest in Bailly. United made it clear they had no interest in selling a player in the summer and have held to that position since.

Bailly's situation is complicated by United's long-standing defensive issues, with Jose Mourinho continuing to press the Old Trafford board to recruit a centre back with the calibre, experience and personality to martial the team's back line. According to a club source, Mourinho has proposed a move for Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly.

Any addition to United's five-man cohort of central defenders would require revenue to be raised from a sale. Mourinho is prepared to sacrifice Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo, who have played just 148 minutes between them this season.

(Image: AFP/Getty Images) (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Both, however, declined offers to leave the club in the summer window, and are again expected to prove difficult to move in January.

Despite leaving Bailly out of his team since a tactically driven 19th-minute substitution against Newcastle United in early October, Mourinho believes the African possesses the attributes to develop into an elite defender. He would prefer not to sell an individual whose strong initial progress at Old Trafford stalled during a second season disrupted by injury and international absences.

Bailly is said to be deeply disappointed at being limited to just five senior starts in a campaign in which every defensive combination deployed by Mourinho has struggled, United conceding 25 goals in 17 fixtures. While friends have advised the Ivorian to remain patient and work on the training ground to re-establish himself in the starting line-up, there is a recognition that Bailly cannot wait indefinitely on the sidelines.

Should United ultimately agree to consider offers for Bailly they are unlikely to face a shortage of suitors. Centre back has been a clear area of weakness at Arsenal with Unai Emery's team losing 15 goals in 12 Premier League fixtures.

While Tottenham's defensive record has been stronger so far this campaign, in Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen they have two senior defenders in the final year of contract. Daniel Levy unsuccessfully attempted to market Alderweireld to United in the summer window and remains open to offers for the 29-year-old in the coming window.