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Real Betis have identified Manchester United defender Eric Bailly as a potential transfer target this summer.
Diario AS reported that the Spanish club’s interest in the Ivorian defender has grown due to the need to replace departed defenders Víctor Ruiz and Edgar González.
According to Football Espana, Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini views defensive reinforcements as a priority due to his team’s larger schedule upon qualifying for this season’s Europa League.
Man United will hope to offload Bailly in this transfer window given that the out-of-favour player has just one year left on his contract.
This is not the first time that Bailly has been on the Liga club’s radar, with The Peoples Person previously reporting that Real Betis’ new sporting director Ramón Planes began closely monitoring the player following his loan to Marseille last season.
Viewed as a promising signing upon arriving in Manchester from Villareal in 2016, Bailly’s tenure at Old Trafford has been marred by injuries.
The 29 year old has missed 103 games through injury during his six years at United.
Not being viewed as a key component of Erik ten Hag’s plans, Bailly was given the opportunity to revive his career with a loan move to Marseille last season.
Yet again, injury struck, limiting Bailly’s appearances for the club to just 23 games all season.
While Betis have yet to submit a formal bid for the player, United are expected to accept a bid of £2 million for the player; a gaping decline from the £30 million/€38m originally paid for the player.
Should a deal be concluded this summer, Bailly would become the latest in a long list of players that United sold for significantly less than they initially paid; a habit that the club must cease.
Still, Bailly’s departure would serve the Red Devils well at a time when they will be looking to free up some of their wage bill with a deal for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana in the works.
