Manchester United have struggled to get their fringe players out of the door in recent years and although recruitment in terms of incoming has improved under Erik ten Hag, the issue of moving players on remains.
Six players departed the club on free transfers last summer and another handful first-team regulars left on season-long loans. The players who left on loans have now returned but they are not in Ten Hag’s plans.
Eric Bailly is one of those players and you would be forgiven for forgetting that he remains a United player. The Ivorian international signed a new contract in 2021 and that is still valid.
Bailly spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Marseille and although the French giants had the option to make the loan permanent, they opted not to exercise that clause.
Now, it is being reported that a return to La Liga could be on the cards for Bailly but a move could hinge on United cutting their losses and giving up any transfer fee.
That’s according to Spanish outlet AS, via CaughtOffside, who say that Bailly has emerged as a target for the La Liga side and Manuel Pellegrini’s men are cautiously optimistic that they could land the centre-back on a free transfer.
Bailly has one more year remaining on his contract at Old Trafford and if he fails to secure a move away from the club, he is likely to sit on the sidelines doing nothing all season.
It’s easy to see why Betis would be reluctant to come up with a transfer fee to sign Bailly considering his appalling fitness record and in truth, it may be wise by United to cut their losses and come to an agreement with Bailly over the termination of his contract.
