Former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly is pleased to see his former Red Devils team-mate Harry Maguire rebuild his reputation at the Premier League giants.
A year-and-a-half after Eric Bailly appeared to aim a jab in Maguire’s direction – hitting out at what he felt was Manchester United’s tendency to ‘favour’ English players – the Ivorian defender was rather more complementary this time around (The Times).
In truth, you can perhaps understand Bailly’s frustration.
He found himself stuck on the Old Trafford bench despite long spells of poor form from Maguire, farmed out on loan to Marseille before joining Besiktas on a permanent basis when his contract was terminated by the Old Trafford outfit.
Harry Maguire reborn at Manchester United
Maguire’s performances this season compared to last, however, have been nothing short of night and day. Arguably United’s most in-form player before being struck down by injury recently.
And Bailly, putting those old differences aside, is pleased to see Maguire rise from the ashes and smear clown paint over the faces of those who felt his Manchester United career was deader than a dodo’s skeleton.
“I got on with the boys I played with,” Bailly tells The Athletic. “I saw a lot of Victor Lindelof — he lived one minute from my house and spoke Spanish.
“Harry Maguire was tranquil. I’m glad he’s playing well now. He’s a strong character and he had a difficult time with the English media.”
Eric Bailly returns to Villarreal
Erik ten Hag indicated last week that he expected Maguire to return to selection imminently, with Mason Mount, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia also on the comeback trail.
And speaking of comebacks, Eric Bailly has now officially re-joined former employers Villarreal after a difficult four-month spell at Besiktas. The luckless centre-half – who has endured a seemingly never-ending spate of fitness problems in the last few years – made only eight appearances in Turkey and will now be hoping to kick start his stuttering career at the club where he played some of his best football.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
