Man Utd ‘agree’ exit amid Fulham ‘interest’ after player ‘refused’ to join ex-Liverpool man at Besiktas
According to reports, Manchester United have ‘agreed’ to let centre-back Eric Bailly leave on a free transfer amid interest from rivals Fulham.
Man Utd have been busy in the transfer market this summer as significant fees have been spent to sign Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund.
The Red Devils are understood to still be in the market for a centre-back and centre-midfielder but they need to sell players to raise funds for their own signings.
David De Gea, Anthony Elanga, Alex Telles and Fred have all moved on this summer but more players are expected to leave Old Trafford before the summer transfer window closes.
Bailly is one United outcast likely to secure an exit in the coming weeks. The Red Devils spent £30m to sign him in 2016 but he has been restricted to just 70 Premier League appearances as he has been hampered by injuries over the past seven years.
The 29-year-old spent last season on loan at Ligue Un side Marseille. He is out of contract in 2024 and he is not part of Erik ten Hag’s plans.
Earlier this month, it looked like Bailly was set to join Turkish side Besiktas – who have recently acquired former Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – but he has also been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.
READ MORE: In defence of Harry Maguire… His Man United dreams may be delusions, but he’s entitled to them
Now RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins is reporting that Bailly has an ‘agreement with Man Utd’ that will allow him to leave on a free transfer this summer.
Bailly ‘refused’ a move to Besiktas, but Fulham are ‘interested’. He is also said to have ‘exit doors in Saudi Arabia and Turkey’.
It was also thought that Harry Maguire will leave Man Utd after they accepted a £30m bid from West Ham United but this transfer has since fallen through.
Former Premier League forward Darren Bent thinks Maguire needs to “get out” of Man Utd and “start again” elsewhere.
“Harry’s got to make a decision,” Bent told talkSPORT. “Does he want to stay somewhere that clearly doesn’t want him and have played other players that don’t even play that position ahead of him like Luke Shaw, and that have taken the captaincy away from you?
“The fans don’t trust you, your teammates don’t trust you, your manager doesn’t trust you. Get out of there and go and start again. He can go to West Ham and have a fantastic career at another big club.”
READ MORE: Liverpool midfield solution, Mbappe in £783m XI of PL summer targets yet to secure transfers