Erik ten Hag insists nationality is irrelevant when it comes to his team selection process at Manchester United.
United defender Eric Bailly, on a season-long loan at Marseille, said in an interview with The Times the club "favour English players" but "Ten Hag has a lot of character and I hope he can change that dynamic".
Bailly, 27, played 113 times for United across six seasons, averaging fewer than 20 appearances per season. It was reported last season the Cote d'Ivoire international specifically resented the privileges captain Harry Maguire enjoyed.
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Maguire was the only English United player who started 20 matches or more in the Premier League last season and United have signed four centre halves at a cost of £216.3million since the £30m arrival of Bailly in 2016.
United interim manager Ralf Rangnick scolded Bailly for calling for Maguire to be dropped in a comment on Instagram and Marseille have an obligation to sign the centre-back if they qualify for the Champions League and Bailly plays a certain number of games.
"I have nothing to say about that because it was last season, I wasn't in charge, so I don't know the situation," Ten Hag said. When asked if nationality would have a bearing on his team selection, he replied: "Not for me."
Maguire could be recalled for United's Europa League opener against Real Sociedad on Thursday night and Casemiro could make his full debut.
Even though the Brazilian agreed to join United three weeks ago, he is the only one of the five outfield summer signings yet to make a start.
Scott McTominay has kept Casemiro out of the team in the last three games and earned plaudits for his performance in the 3-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday.
"You can see it like that, when a team is acting well, when players are acting well, I think we have more than 11 starting players, so then you stay in, it's clear," Ten Hag explained.
"The team is improving, it's getting better, but for players not in the team they can at any moment come in, they will do the job and can even maybe do better than the ones who are in but you never know.
"But I know you need more than 11 players to get successful. We have really good bench in this moment and when they come on they really contribute to the success we have, that is what we expect. I know also the players on the bench will have games as a starting XI player."
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