Former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly insists that it was ‘the right thing’ to leave Besiktas only a few months after departing the Reds for an unfortunate spell in Turkey.
United fans did not have a positive experience when they travelled to Istanbul in the Champions League earlier this season, and it sounds like Bailly did not enjoy his time either.
After leaving Old Trafford in September, Bailly only featured eight times for Besiktas before seeing his contract torn up – only to leave him as a free agent.
“I had a minor injury,” Bailly told Sporx, reflecting on his time at Besiktas. “We talked about the issue with the coach, and I made a decision.
“I had complicated moments at Besiktas. The right thing for me was to change clubs and look to the future.”
Bailly ended up re-joining La Liga outfit Villarreal, who he signed from when joining United, back in 2016. The Ivorian has started seven out of a possible 10 La Liga matches, which means injuries are not proving to be problematic as of now.
Hopefully Bailly can enjoy a strong end to the season because Villarreal have struggled throughout the campaign.
Subscribe to the Stretty News podcast Strettycast for weekly episodes on Manchester United. You can also sign up to the ad-free Stretty Newsletter. Get the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United.