Eric Bailly is ready to assume the role of ­“warrior” in Manchester United ’s route back to the top.

The Portuguese boss has relied on a defensive leaders wherever he has managed — John Terry at Chelsea, Marco ­Materazzi for Inter Milan and Pepe with Real Madrid among them.

And centre-back Bailly , Jose Mourinho’s first signing for United last summer in a £30million switch from Spanish side Villarreal, is the latest to emerge as the Special One’s rock at the back.

Mourinho and Terry won three league titles, three League Cups and an FA Cup together (
Image:
Getty)
Bailly was Mourinho's very first buy when he took the Old Trafford job in summer 2016 (
Image:
PA Wire)

This window's £30m defensive signing Victor Lindelof did not even make the bench for ­the season-opening 4-0 win over West Ham last weekend, because Mourinho felt the former Benfica star needed more time to adapt to the English game.

And while Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are in and out of the team due to form and fitness, Bailly has been the constant at the back — and he is relishing the prospect of joining the manager’s exclusive list of defensive legends.

The red mist descends for Bailly during United's Europa League semi against Celta Vigo (
Image:
Getty)

“Those are players who have passed various phases in their careers,” said the Ivory Coast international of Mourinho's previous defensive keystones. They’re big players, for whom you have a lot of respect, and you ­always need an example like them.

“I’ve had the luck to have a manager in Jose Mourinho from whom I can learn more and I must work hard and listen to what he says.”

Bailly, a no-nonsense defender in the mould of Jaap Stam and Nemanja Vidic before him at United, aims to emulate the success of his ­predecessors, but ­conceded it will be difficult.

Video Loading

“To achieve ­success, you have to take the example of players like Vidic and Rio Ferdinand,” he said.

“I have to try to follow in their footsteps. It’s very difficult, but ­everything is achieved with hard work, keeping my head high to keep moving forward.”

Although Bailly appeared to adapt to English football with little difficulty, the 23-year-old conceded it wasn’t ­totally straightforward.

United have never found a centre-back pairing to match Vidic and Ferdinand (
Image:
Reuters)

“It’s not easy,” he added. “When you come to the team there are players who have more experience in the ­English league, and I had to see how the football was played. But for me, it wasn’t that difficult because I had very good team-mates who helped me.

“I’ve had the luck to be in a locker-room that’s like family.

Video Loading

"There are ­players who speak French and ­Spanish, like Ander Herrera and Juan Mata, as well as Paul Pogba and ­Anthony Martial. The English players helped me too.

“The adaptation has been easy ­because of that and so the life in England hasn’t been that difficult for me.”

Bailly is convinced that, under Mourinho, United can get back on top, having not won the title since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013.

“The team has always been world class, they’ve just had bad moments,” said Bailly. “But now it’s time to give Manchester United its true value and that comes with hard work and all the players that arrived to help the club.

“We have to make a solid group to start this season and with all the hard work put in, we’ll demonstrate again we’re a world-class club.”

poll loading

Where will Manchester United finish this season?

43000+ VOTES SO FAR