Manchester United defender Eric Bailly is extremely keen to return to La Liga club Villarreal in the summer.
According to Media Foot, Ivory Coast international Eric Bailly is keen to end his Manchester United nightmare and return to La Liga by rejoining Villarreal. A deal can be completed in the region of €10 million.
The 28-year-old came through the ranks at Espanyol before moving to the Estadio de la Ceramica in 2015. He spent just one season at Villarreal but made a solid impression, forcing Manchester United to shell out for his services in the summer of 2016.
Bailly became Jose Mourinho’s first signing at Old Trafford and initially looked the part. However, injuries and a run of poor form saw him steadily fall down the pecking order. It is fair to say that he is now behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelof.
So it came as no surprise that Bailly was allowed to leave on loan last summer. A move to Ligue 1 side Marseille beckoned, but it has not proven to be the redemption arc that the 28-year-old craved.
Not only has he struggled for game time at the Orange Velodrome, but also made a nuisance of himself when given an opportunity. His horror tackle in the French Cup saw Hyeres footballer Almike Moussa N’Diaye being admitted into intensive care, leaving Bailly suspended for seven games.
If anything, one can argue that the incident will have only adversely impacted the defender’s chances of impressing Igor Tudor. Marseille have the option to make the deal permanent in the summer, subject to conditions but have little reason to pursue it.
His contract at Old Trafford also expires in the summer of 2024, meaning the upcoming summer window is the Red Devils’ best bet of recouping what they can for Bailly. He appears keen on returning to Villarreal. And at 28, Bailly still has time to resurrect a flagging career.
A deal worth €10 million could prove to be enough to take the player back to Spain. But it remains to be seen if Villarreal want him back. The Yellow Submarine have adjusted to life in the post Unai Emery era well and appear to be on the right track.
Pau Torres continues to be linked with some of the biggest clubs and could be on the move soon. Bailly can make up the numbers but is not the player he once was. The Manchester United loanee appears to have lost that mojo and needs a new challenge. Time will tell whether the Yellow Submarine will prove to be his salvation.
