Roland Cutinho
Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly could be Fulham’s fourth signing this summer
Fulham have shown interest in signing Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly on a free transfer, as stated by RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins (h/t the Daily Mail).
The Ivorian player was on loan with Marseille and participated in 23 matches across various competitions last season.
Although there was a prearranged obligation for the French club to buy him based on certain conditions, Bailly did not meet the appearance criteria necessary to activate the clause.
It has now been stated that the African defender has reached an agreement with Man United to depart on a free transfer.
The 29-year-old player has come to terms with the 20-time English champions and will leave without costing a penny.
Hence, Erik ten Hag’s side will not have to deal with any payment-related matters while sorting out their player’s departure.
This agreement could provide the opportunity for the Ivory Coast international to move on and secure consistent playing time with another team.
Fulham manager Marco Silva’s side could be interested in making him their fourth signing of the summer. They have already acquired Raul Jimenez, Calvin Bassey, and Adama Traore.
Bailly showcased his potential during United’s pre-season last year; however, his hesitation to remain at the club without the guarantee of consistent starting opportunities led him to choose Les Phoceens instead.
Unfortunately, his stint with Marseille was challenging. He faced a series of setbacks, including injuries and an unnecessary suspension, which caused him to miss a number of matches.
Despite securing a spot in the Champions League, the French team opted not to pursue a permanent transfer.
The United defender is presently in the final 10 months of his contract, and the Old Trafford side could offload him to free up some wages from their financial books.
Initially, the experienced player was known to have huge potential when he was brought in from Villarreal in 2016.
However, his career has been hindered by injuries and poor performance. We hoped that he could revitalise his chances of playing regularly elsewhere.
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While Man United will face considerable financial losses due to his free departure, the decision to let go of an undesirable player is deemed more advantageous than retaining him.
