Home » Eric Bailly closing in on a move to Olympique Marseille

Eric Bailly closing in on a move to Olympique Marseille

Ivory Coast international was wanted by a host of Serie A & La Liga clubs

by Ayantan Chowdhury

Manchester United are scrambling to get manager Erik ten Hag the players he needs after news emerged that the Dutchman was furious with how the club had failed to back him in the transfer market.

So far only three players have come through the doors at Carrington and it looks like Real Madrid star Casemiro might be the next player in.

United have struggled to get deals over the line and this has increased the pressure on Ten Hag who has had to employ almost the same personnel who had struggled last season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.

The club have also been notoriously bad at offloading players and the new boss has had to train an already bloated squad since taking over.

One area where the squad has an abundance of players deemed not good enough by the new manager is the centre-back slot. United currently have as many as seven senior centre-backs in the squad.

Skipper Harry Maguire, new recruit Lisandro Martinez seem to be the preferred choice at the moment while World Cup winner Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof are currently back-up options.

Bailly to Marseille close

Eric Bailly, who had enjoyed a great pre-season, is currently fifth choice and is looking for a way out while Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones still remain at the club.

Bailly has attracted interest from a host of La Liga and Serie A clubs and at one point was close to reuniting with former United manager Jose Mourinho at Roma.

But according to the latest RMC Sport report, Olympique de Marseille are currently in advanced talks with the Ivory Coast international.

A move is close and it is likely to be a season-long loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the temporary spell.

“The positions between OM, the English club and the Ivorian player have come closer in recent hours. There is optimism regarding the move,” was how the publication summed up the situation.

Fans would have liked Bailly to remain at the club but the Ivorian has never failed to hit the heights expected of him following his debut season. Injuries have meant his playing time has been severely curtailed in recent seasons and a move away from United will be the best possible outcome for both parties.


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