Roland Cutinho
The Ivorian centre-back is the next United player to be targeted by the cash-rich Saudi clubs
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag may be facing the departure of another one of his players from the club, as recent transfers suggest that Saudi Arabian clubs are planning to make a move for United’s players during this summer transfer window.
The Red Devils have already strengthened their squad by signing Mason Mount and Andre Onana.
However, it is expected that the club will also part ways with some of their current players as the Dutch boss aims to reduce the squad size ahead of the upcoming season.
One player who has already left United is Alex Telles, who moved to the Saudi Pro League to join Al-Nassr.
The 30-year-old left-back was reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo at the Saudi Arabian club after struggling with regular minutes at Old Trafford.
There are indications that Eric Bailly might follow Telles to the Middle East in the near future, as two clubs in the region have shown some interest in the player, according to Sky Sports journals Dharmesh Sheth
It appears that Ten Hag has not included the African centre-back in his plans for the upcoming season, leaving Man United open to the possibility of selling the defender before the summer transfer window closes.
Bailly’s last appearance for United was in late 2021, and like Telles, his contract is set to expire at the end of the following season.
There are no expectations of him signing a new deal before that time. Both Bailly and Telles were allowed to skip reporting back to the club with the rest of their teammates after returning from international duty, indicating their reduced chances of featuring in the upcoming season.
The Ivorian star is expected to make a final decision on his future in the next few weeks, and it appears that staying at Old Trafford will not be one of the options available to him this summer.
The signs of Bailly’s departure have been evident for a while, as he spent the previous season on loan at Marseille, but the French club opted against making the move permanent earlier this year.
Moreover, Bailly has not shied away from expressing his criticism of Man United. As stated by The Times (h/t ESPN), he said in September that English players were receiving special treatment at the club.
Hence, all these indications point to the fact that moving to another club would be the best possible move for the 29-year-old.
Certainly, Bailly won’t be going away without any memories. He would cherish his time under former manager Jose Mourinho at United and the opportunity to lift the Europa League trophy alongside stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
During this summer transfer window, United are already dealing with multiple offers for some of their players. They would need to offload their most unwanted players quickly before moving on to the next tier of saleable players.
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Still, a lot of work is to be done, and the United management will be optimistic about reaching their goals before the transfer deadline day.
