Man Utd confirm Eric Bailly's exit as defender joins Turkish side Besiktas on permanent transfer
- Bailly joins Besiktas
- Was Mourinho's first signing at Man Utd
- Spent last season on loan at Marseille
WHAT HAPPENED? The Ivory Coast international joined the club in 2016 from Villarreal and was the first signing of former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho. He was an integral part of the Manchester United side that won three titles in the 2016-17 season, landing the Community Shield, the Carabao Cup, and the Europa League.
Thank you for everything and good luck, @EricBailly24 ❤️#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 5, 2023
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Bailly appeared in 113 matches in seven years at Old Trafford. He was sent on loan to Ligue 1 side Marseille last season where he made 23 appearances across all formats. The defender has moved after falling out of favour at Manchester United where he was behind behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans in the pecking order.
WHAT THEY SAID?: After signing Bailly from United, Besiktas released a statement that read, "Welcome to Besiktas, Eric Bailly. Our club has reached an agreement with Manchester United for the final transfer of Ivorian defender Eric Bailly. We wish Eric Bailly, who we believe will provide important services to our club, great success with our glorious jersey, and present him to the public with our respect."
Beşiktaş’a Hoş Geldin Eric Bailly
— Beşiktaş JK (@Besiktas) September 4, 2023
Kulübümüz, Fildişili defans oyuncusu Eric Bailly’nin nihai transferi hususunda Manchester United ile anlaşmaya varmıştır.
Kulübümüze önemli hizmetlerde bulunacağına inandığımız Eric Bailly’e şanlı formamızla üstün başarılar diler, kamuoyunun… pic.twitter.com/fQPb59vyzb
IN A PHOTO:
WHAT NEXT? Manchester United will return to action after the international break at home to Brighton in the Premier League.