Newcastle United have been offered Eric Bailly from Manchester United
According to The Mirror (print edition, page 76, June 19, 2022, via HITC, Newcastle United have been offered Eric Bailly from Manchester United as a replacement for Sven Botman.
Eric Bailly has never been short on skill, as the Ivorian has been a consistent presence in Manchester United’s defence whenever he has been available. The centre-back’s ability to stay injury-free has been a continual issue for him, resulting in him making fewer games than projected.
To put things in context, Bailly made 25 Premier League appearances in his debut season at the club and has never matched that total since. He has only made 20 appearances in the Premier League in the previous three seasons, forcing Manchester United’s hand.
Newcastle are reportedly interested in signing Lille’s Dutch centre-back Botman in the summer transfer window, but talks have reportedly halted. If the Botman deal falls through, the Magpies have been offered the chance to recruit £80,000-a-week Manchester United and Ivory Coast international centre-back Bailly.
Since his arrival from Villarreal, the Ivory Coast international has been a bit of a mystery. Injuries have hampered his United career, but at the same time, he has shown flashes of brilliance on some occasions.
In his eight years at the club, Bailly has only made seventy appearances, scoring a lone goal away against Swansea.
If this is the end of the centre-back’s stay at the club, it reflects the team’s general performance since his arrival: in and out of form, with glimpses of genuine quality but no consistency.
Bailly has all of the necessary qualities to play at the highest level; he’s swift, powerful, and fearless, but his lack of concentration and inability to keep fit looks to have cost him his United place.
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It seems like this has been a long time in the making. Bailly has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford in recent years because of a lack of playing time.
If United can recoup a significant sum from Bailly’s selling while also removing his huge salaries off the books, they’ll be able to make room for a new acquisition. Reinforcements are needed and the Ivorian departure might help our team get the quality it needs to reach a competitive level.
