Eric Bailly, who spent seven years with Manchester United, has officially parted ways with the club to embark on a permanent transfer to Besiktas.
The Ivory Coast international originally joined Manchester United in 2016 from Villarreal, becoming the inaugural signing of former Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho. Bailly played a crucial role in Manchester United’s triumphant 2016-17 season, contributing to the team’s victories in the Community Shield, the Carabao Cup, and the Europa League. Over his seven-year stint at Old Trafford, he featured in 113 matches. In the previous season, Bailly was loaned out to Marseille in Ligue 1, where he made 23 appearances across various competitions.
Bailly’s decision to move was driven by his diminished prominence at Manchester United, where he found himself behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, and Jonny Evans in the defensive pecking order.
Upon securing Bailly from Manchester United, Besiktas released a statement welcoming him to their ranks: “Welcome to Besiktas, Eric Bailly. Our club has reached an agreement with Manchester United for the permanent transfer of Ivorian defender Eric Bailly. We extend our best wishes to Eric Bailly and believe he will make significant contributions to our club while donning our esteemed jersey. With utmost respect, we introduce him to our supporters.