Former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly has opened up about his difficult time at the club, describing it as feeling “helpless and worthless” due to his injury struggles. Bailly’s seven-year stint at Old Trafford came to an end last summer when he joined Besiktas, but his contract was later terminated by the Turkish club. He has now returned to Villarreal, the club where he made a name for himself and caught the attention of then-United manager Jose Mourinho. Bailly revealed that Mourinho personally called him to convince him to join Manchester United, and he initially thought it was a joke. However, after a video call with Mourinho, he signed for the “biggest club in the world.”
During his first season with United, Bailly had a successful start, being named man of the match on his debut and winning the Community Shield and Europa League. However, injuries plagued the rest of his time at the club, and he only started 33 Premier League games in his last five years. Bailly expressed his frustration at feeling helpless and worthless during his injury spells, as he couldn’t change anything and faced tough competition at a top club. Despite this, he still enjoyed his time at United, particularly because of his teammates, including Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire. He also praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to the club, calling him the best player in the world.
In conclusion, Eric Bailly has shared his experiences of feeling helpless and worthless during his injury-stricken spell at Manchester United. He has now returned to Villarreal and reflected on how Jose Mourinho convinced him to join United. Despite his injury struggles, Bailly enjoyed his time at the club and had positive relationships with his teammates.