Man United face making a £28MILLION loss on Eric Bailly after poor loan spell with Marseille

Manchester United want just £2m for Eric Bailly with La Liga side Real Betis showing interest in purchasing the injury-prone Ivorian.

The 29-year-old spent last season on-loan at Marseille but featured only 17 times for the French side after struggling with injuries and serving a seven-game suspension for a tackle which hospitalised Hyeres’ Almike Moussa N’Diaye.

With Marseille opting to field the defender two games shy of the number that would have obligated a permanent signing, a return to La Liga appears to be his best chance of getting top level football next season.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo report that Real Betis are interested in offering Bailly the chance to play for a third team in the country, having made his senior debut with Espanyol in 2014.

Bailly is believed to be a favourite of the club’s new sporting director, Ramon Planes, who has closely followed the defender since his days in the Espanyol youth set up.

Eric Bailly played 25 times in all competitions for Marseille as they finished third last season

Bailly last turned out for Man United during a Premier League tie against Burnley in 2021

Erik ten Hag is keen to offload the defender, who does not feature in his long term plans 

Bailly’s departure will bring an end to his disappointing seven-year stay in England. United purchased the centre-back from Villarreal for £30m in 2016, where he shone for the Yellow Submarine in his solitary season in Castellón

But despite his obvious abilities, Bailly has been hindered by niggling injuries that saw him average just 12 appearances across six Premier League seasons at Old Trafford.

Bailly’s most productive year in Manchester came in a debut campaign under Jose Mourinho that yielded League Cup and Europa League honours.

He last played for the Red Devils in a 3-1 win against Burnley at Old Trafford on December 30 2021.