Eric Bailly has no interest in swapping Manchester United for Fulham this summer.
The Ivorian centre-back has been linked with a move to the Premier League newcomers Fulham, with fresh claims that the Cottagers are keen on signing Bailly on a season-long loan deal - including an option to buy should they stay up. However, despite the 28-year-old making just four Premier League appearances during the 2021/22 campaign, he is keen on staying at Old Trafford and fighting for his place under new boss Erik ten Hag.
That's despite having found himself down the pecking order under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, and with the current incumbent seeking to add Ajax centre-back Lisandro Martinez this summer, further denting Bailly’s hopes of regular first-team football.
Sky Sports News claim that Marco Silva’s side enquired about Bailly’s availability following his struggles for game time, but that he wants to stay and impress Ten Hag.
Bailly, who has won 46 caps for Ivory Coast since 2015, has spent the past six years at Old Trafford after joining United in 2016 from Villarreal. In that time, the defender has made just 70 Premier League appearances. Last term, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof were all above the Ivorian in the race for minutes at centre-back, with Phil Jones also made four league appearances, the same number as Bailly.
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Maguire and Varane were United’s primary choices when both were available last season with Lindelof the first choice reserve. And Bailly’s chances of minutes could well decrease under Ten Hag if the Dutchman gets his wish in this summer’s transfer window.
United have lodged a bid of £39.6million to sign Ajax centre-back Martinez, who has received strong interest from rivals Arsenal. The Gunners have made two bids to sign the Argentine, although it is believed that both bids were lower than United’s latest offer.
Martinez played 120 times in three seasons for Ajax under Ten Hag between 2019 and 2022 after leaving Defensa y Justicia and scored six goals in three seasons during a stint that included two Eredivisie titles and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.
United are also looking to complete the double Dutch signing of midfielder Frenkie de Jong and left-back Tyrell Malacia from Barcelona and Feyenoord respectively. The Red Devils are also weighing up a £10million move for Palmeiras’ teenage winger Gabriel Veron, who has represented Brazil at youth level.
