Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag is reportedly looking to sell defender Eric Bailly in the upcoming summer transfer window.
What’s Happened to Eric Bailly?
On Thursday night, the Red Devils were knocked out of the Europa League after suffering a humiliating 3-0 defeat against Sevilla. However, they still have a chance to add to their Carabao Cup with the FA Cup semi-final weekend coming up at the Wembley Stadium.
It has undoubtedly been a season of progress for United, who are currently in a great position to secure themselves a spot in next season’s Champions League; however, a clearout might be on the horizon, with Ten Hag looking to sell several players currently out on loan.
One of the players who might be shown the door is Bailly, who has spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Marseille, but it has not been a cakewalk for the Ivorian this season.
The 29-year-old has suffered from injuries and suspensions and has only made four starts in Ligue 1 this season (via Transfermarkt).
Speaking on Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano stated that the £91k-per-week defender is not wanted at Old Trafford ahead of next season:
(11:35) “So Bailly will be back to Manchester United, and from what I understand, he will be on the market. So he’s not going to be part of the Manchester United project next season unless something new happens, so the idea is to sell Bailly.”
Should United Sell Bailly in Summer?
Bailly has previously received criticism for some of his defending during his time at Old Trafford. Journalist Josh Bunting referred to his performances as “dreadful”.
Moreover, his recent spell in France is leaving much to be desired. The 29-year-old has only made four league starts, indicating that he is not in the manager’s plans for next season.
Perhaps this could be attributed to the horror challenge that saw him receive a seven-game suspension.
However, his performances on the pitch this season were commendable, with him ranking inside the top percentile for interceptions and the top second percentile for blocks made (via FBref).
Nonetheless, United has made significant additions to their side over recent years with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez; however, their backup options failed to provide relief, and with the duo’s injury issues, Bailly might not provide them with enough squad depth next season.
