Manchester United chiefs regret handing Eric Bailly a new contract.

The 28-year-old signed a three-year extension in April last year, in which he said at the time that he aimed to remain injury-free and accomplish his dream of winning the Premier League.

However, it has been a miserable campaign for the centre-back who has made just six starts all season and has been behind Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

The Manchester Evening News says United have privately admitted that the decision to offer the Ivory Coast international a contract extension was an error of judgement.

It's said the deal took place due to former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward's strategy of 'tying down peripheral players to new deals to increase their resale value'.