Man United begin contract talks with Eric Bailly

[TheReligion]

He only played 15 matches this season, just 8 in the EPL. The guy has got an injury history as long as an arm. With all this talk about our new and modern scouting net and a new DOF, we would actually learn not to tie injury prone players on a long term contract and actually bring players that are useful for us. It seem we haven't learnt anything from Sanchez and Jones's mess.

You're being disingenuous to mention Sanchez. Totally different situation.

As I say I personally feel we have been doing well moving on players under Ole. I don't think anyone can really argue that we haven't.

 

[devilish]

More seriously an Italian or Spanish club would probably spend £5-10m on him (if his injury record continues to be OK next season as it has been this season)

Italian clubs are broke especially now that SL had gone in flames. Inter are officially on sale, Milan spent around 30m euros last summer and got an army of loans and even Juve are now feeling the pinch. They won't be spending money on a very average CB who quite frankly can't keep himself fit. This is Jones all over again

 

[NoLogo]

Well let's hope for the best and that he can finally stay fit for more than half a season.

 

[devilish]

You're being disingenuous to mention Sanchez. Totally different situation.

As I say I personally feel we have been doing well moving on players under Ole. I don't think anyone can really argue that we haven't.

I am not blaming Sanchez's, Jones's or Bailly's mess on Ole especially now that we've got a DOF. I strongly believe that this is a decision taken over his head. I also think that the biggest victim of it all will be Ole. Good luck for him asking for a new CB now that he's got 5 of them.

This doesn't bide well with the DOF thing. You'll expect that a new DOF will stir the club to a new direction. Instead we're doing the same silly mistakes all over again. There again Jon Murtough is not a new guy at all.

 

[hungrywing]

He only played 15 matches this season, just 8 in the EPL. The guy has got an injury history as long as an arm. With all this talk about our new and modern scouting net and a new DOF, we would actually learn not to tie injury prone players on a long term contract and actually bring players that are useful for us. It seem we haven't learnt anything from Sanchez and Jones's mess.

What? Develop metrics to rate utility per pound/dollar/euro and then apply said metrics to try and optimize on-pitch productivity!? What!?

On a more serious note, surely we at least try to do the above. Surely.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

I’m a fan of Bailly but this is a poor decision just like the Phil jones contract.

Rojo's, Bailly's Joneses extensions are all nonsense. We never learn. I highly doubt we will recoup much money compared to wages we will have to pay him over that time when he doesn't play at all. Compared to Herrera contract fiasco, I highly doubt there are right people at the club for the contracts..

 

[UpWithRivers]

His salary per game must be much higher than anyone.....apart from jones of course

 

[kidbob]

His injury record is such a pity because he is pretty much the perfect partner for Maguire. He had to potential to be incredible, but then so did Jones all those years ago. Can't see why we are renewing.

 

[Tom Cato]

Bailly's injury record isn't that much worse than Paul Pogba. So I presume everyone wants to give away Paul

 

[11101]

You really think he's as good as Maguire? I agree he's on shared 2d, but I really don't think he's more competent than Maguire.

Agree.

He's a different type of player. He's better physically and technically than Maguire but he doesn't read the game to the same level or have his composure.

 

[red4ever 79]

Ed doing his best to sabotage us on the way out.

 

[Mickeza]

Are you literally saying we're giving 4 years contract to a 4th option CB who will barely even feature and this is fine ? "Calm down he'll barely even play next season and will be 4th option so it's fine giving him a new long term contract" Are you serious ?

You know we can just put an academy player who will be less injury prone and have actually better chances at development in the future than a 27 years old as this 4th option CB you're so concerned with while having Maguire, Lindelof and the other CB you think we're going to buy this season (spoilers : we won't sign anyone) and it'll be a more dependable set than the guy who played 7 games this season and now getting a 3 years contract ?

We could have just given him a 1+1 contract by the way ?

Who? Who from the academy? Who is this mythical academy player you keep on saying ready to step up in the event of injuries? We had smalling, Jones, evans, Rio and Vidic under Ferguson. City have Ake as their 4th choice. You need squad quality as Liverpool have shown this year.

We couldn’t given him 1+1 because who wouldn’t have accepted it would he? Jesus.

 

[lsd]

Was hoping we'd seen the last of him but after three Super League disaster I have a feeling any money we spend on the summer will be on fines from that and nothing left for any transfers.

 

[hungrywing]

Ed doing his best to sabotage us on the way out.

And this is only stage one.

Next up is Pogba's 480k/w renewal.

And you don't want to know what stage three is.

 

[mazhar13]

You know we can just put an academy player who will be less injury prone and have actually better chances at development in the future than a 27 years old as this 4th option CB

Just so you're aware, no one at the U23s and lower is ready to step up to the first team. Will Fish is our only U23s centre back, and he's struggled big time. In terms of our in-loan CBs (Mengi and Bernard), both have shown signs of promise, but injuries hampered their progress, and both still need more first-team football to refine their game and be ready for us.

 

[Amar__]

It would be interesting to roll over to Phil Jones extension thread and see if the same posters are repeating themselves and defending the extensions.

 

[wolvored]

I am not blaming Sanchez's, Jones's or Bailly's mess on Ole especially now that we've got a DOF. I strongly believe that this is a decision taken over his head. I also think that the biggest victim of it all will be Ole. Good luck for him asking for a new CB now that he's got 5 of them.

This doesn't bide well with the DOF thing. You'll expect that a new DOF will stir the club to a new direction. Instead we're doing the same silly mistakes all over again. There again Jon Murtough is not a new guy at all.

Just reading we are after a bosman signing striker from South America. Link Doesnt bode well if true. Are the glazers punishing the club by cutting the transfer budget?

 

[el3mel]

Who? Who from the academy? Who is this mythical academy player you keep on saying ready to step up in the event of injuries? We had smalling, Jones, evans, Rio and Vidic under Ferguson. City have Ake as their 4th choice. You need squad quality as Liverpool have shown this year.

We couldn’t given him 1+1 because who wouldn’t have accepted it would he? Jesus.

Any academy player will be worth shot ahead of a injury prone player who plays 15 games at best a season and is 27 years old with no chance to develop if you want just a 4th term option whom you think won't play much. I'll prefer to give this position to a player who might be of an asset in the future instead of a player who will most probably decline rather than improve. When Fergie retired Smalling was 24 and Jones was 21, not fecking 27.

Won't accept? Feck him off then. Hell, this is Eric fecking Bailly and not Rio Ferdinand. Who's he exactly for us to be obliged to give him the sort of contract he'll like ? You're talking about him as if he's some sort of an elite player than we need to give him the contract he desires so that he doesn't leave. He has been a useless part of the squad for a long time now and barely even features every season and you're saying we can't give him short term contract because he won't accept ? He should be grateful he's still playing at Man United.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

The club faces possible reprecussions from the Glazer family coup attempt, such as a transfer ban.

The medical staff at Manchester United will have given their input, and the staff obviously feels he's a valuable squad addition AND he's hugely popular in the dressing room. Eric has been in the matchday squad almost 30 times this season.

There are many factors at play here, but none of them are "the club is dumb". Phil Jones is a contract that ranks up there in terms of bad, but Bailly is not in that discussion.

Bailly signing does not mean we don't want a CB this summer, it means that we're not weakening an already thin position.

We've made this same mistake multiple times in the recent past, but suddenly we've learned our lesson and did our due diligence this time?

 

[mazhar13]

If we use your argument about us being linked with CB based on United journalists then the targets would have been someone like Pau Torres, Kounde, Ramos or those centre back that cost money whether it's wages or fees. That means if we sign one then Bailly will be pushed away to 4th choice, that's logic. The guy can't even push away Maguire & Lindelof partnership this season. You have to tell me how Bailly won't be 4th choice based on that logic? Does this not enough to give you an idea that we are not longer in for centre back this summer?

Let's move the discussion here.

Your viewpoint is based on Maguire-Lindelöf still remaining as a partnership. I don't see that being the case next season onwards. I'm basing this on the fact that we've been linked with athletic, aggressive CBs for a long while as well as their incompatibilities (both are slow, and both tend to drop off in 1-on-1 situations). Both players have also looked much better alongside Bailly than when they play together.

If we didn't renew Bailly's contract, then we'd need to get two new CBs, and I can't think of any cheap CBs who wouldn't be a downgrade on Bailly.

 

[Forevergiggs1]

We're not going to pay those wages for 5 CBs and i doubt he'd be signing if he was 4th choice.

We need cover that is actually fit when others are injured and Bailly can't be relied upon

It would be the best move of his life signing a new contract even if it is as 4th choice. It wouldn't matter where he goes he's still going to be missing large chunks of the season. He's not going to get better wages anywhere else so the smart move for him would be to extend his contract. Would be another huge error from the club though. Pay as you play would be the best I'd offer him.

 

[Mickeza]

Any academy player will be worth shot ahead of a injury prone player who plays 15 games at best a season and is 27 years old with no chance to develop if you want just a 4th term option whom you think won't play much. I'll prefer to give this position to a player who might be of an asset in the future instead of a player who will most probably decline rather than improve. When Fergie retired Smalling was 24 and Jones was 21, not fecking 27.

17 year old Will Fish? 18 year old Teden Mengi? Come on, name names. Who from the academy is ready to play 15 to 20 games a season for us - or far more if we get injuries to two CBs? Plus these guys need game time to develop - even aside from the fact they’re not ready to play for one of the biggest clubs on the planet sitting on the bench does them zero good anyway. If they don’t get game time their development stalls ala Axel. Bailly is more than good enough to be 4th choice at this club - and he also has the ability to be more than that should he get over his fitness concerns. Like I’ve said - If this is instead of signing a top CB then let the meltdown commence - otherwise y’all need to chill your beans.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Let's move the discussion here.

Your viewpoint is based on Maguire-Lindelöf still remaining as a partnership. I don't see that being the case next season onwards. I'm basing this on the fact that we've been linked with athletic, aggressive CBs for a long while as well as their incompatibilities (both are slow, and both tend to drop off in 1-on-1 situations). Both players have also looked much better alongside Bailly than when they play together.

If we didn't renew Bailly's contract, then we'd need to get two new CBs, and I can't think of any cheap CBs who wouldn't be a downgrade on Bailly.

Mate, It was reported Bailly didn’t want to sign new deal because he believed he should be playing more than what he got this season. If we sign a new centre back based on your argument then it will make Bailly to play much less games than this season. That is against the logic of why Bailly signed a new deal. Does this not enough to give you an idea that we are not longer in for centre back this summer? If this is not enough, explain how a new centre back coming means Bailly will get more minutes than this season?

 

[el3mel]

17 year old Will Fish? 18 year old Teden Mengi? Come on, name names. Who from the academy is ready to play 15 to 20 games a season for us - or far more if we get injuries to two CBs? Plus these guys need game time to develop - even aside from the fact they’re not ready to play for one of the biggest clubs on the planet sitting on the bench does them zero good anyway. If they don’t get game time their development stalls ala Axel. Bailly is more than good enough to be 4th choice at this club - and he also has the ability to be more than that should he get over his fitness concerns. Like I’ve said - If this is instead of signing a top CB then let the meltdown commence - otherwise y’all need to chill your beans.

Didn't you say that we're going to get a 3rd CB and Bailly's number of games will even decline next season ? Currently Bailly (our 3rd option CB) is getting 15 games a season and about 7 games in the league. The 3rd option you think we're going to sign to put Bailly down to 4th option will take all these games. We don't need the 4th option to play these 15 games you're talking about. He'll play less than 10 games next season if we sign your mythical CB so I'll prefer to give these 10 games to Mengi or any other youngster.

And if you want him so desperately to stay as 4th or 5th option then give him a short term contract, not 3+1 fecking years.

 

[Forevergiggs1]

Any mention of a wage rise?

 

[SamVimes]

The club faces possible reprecussions from the Glazer family coup attempt, such as a transfer ban.

The medical staff at Manchester United will have given their input, and the staff obviously feels he's a valuable squad addition AND he's hugely popular in the dressing room. Eric has been in the matchday squad almost 30 times this season.

There are many factors at play here, but none of them are "the club is dumb". Phil Jones is a contract that ranks up there in terms of bad, but Bailly is not in that discussion.

Bailly signing does not mean we don't want a CB this summer, it means that we're not weakening an already thin position.

He has played 12 Premier League games in two seasons. 62 in five seasons. For 2019/20 he played 4 premier league games. No matter how you look at it, those are not good statistics.

 

[mazhar13]

Mate, It was reported Bailly didn’t want to sign new deal because he believed he should be playing more than what he got this season. If we sign a new centre back based on your argument then it will make Bailly to play much less games than this season. That is against the logic of why Bailly signed a new deal. Does this not enough to give you an idea that we are not longer in for centre back this summer? If this is not enough, explain how a new centre back coming means Bailly will get more minutes than this season?

There were no guarantees that there would be another team that was willing to sign him and give him more minutes. For example, Real Betis were linked (weakly; no strong interest) to Bailly a few weeks back, but the local media from Seville ruled out the Bailly signing due to a lack of funds from the club (i.e. they could only sign him as a free agent). No other club was really linked with him, so maybe Bailly had a change of heart? I, like you, was expecting Bailly to leave, so this contract renewal was a surprise to me. With that said, do I think that it's a bad decision? As long as we sign a new CB, I'd be okay with Bailly sticking around. If not, then we're in trouble. I'd have the exact same view if we let go of Bailly and brought in just one new CB; we need 4 CBs to be able to compete on all fronts.

 

[Leftback99]

We really don't help ourselves. He's probably signed because no one would offer him anywhere near as much because they know he won't be fit.

 

[Seven Seas Sardines]

We really should give Bailly a run in the team and extend his contract when he shows he can play 6-7 straight games at least. Once again contracts being handed out ridiculously premature.

They better have lowered his salary in tune with a new wage structure taking the pandemic and his injuries into account.

 

[Tom Cato]

We've made this same mistake multiple times in the recent past, but suddenly we've learned our lesson and did our due diligence this time?

No, I'm just saying that the two are not the same and the reasons we re-signed Bailly are the abovementioned.

 

[Tom Cato]

He has played 12 Premier League games in two seasons. 62 in five seasons. For 2019/20 he played 4 premier league games. No matter how you look at it, those are not good statistics.

He's been on the bench 16 games this season - the matchday squad 21 PL games this season, 3 games missed with coronavirus after international duty so can't count that.

I'm not saying he's an ironman, but he's not worse off than Paul Pogba over the past couple years and we seem to want to sign him to fantasyland money to stay.

So I'm just questioning the outrage.

 

[2 man midfield]

Wait have we given him an extension?

We never learn do we.

 

[Tiber]

Strange decision.

Probably just cheaper than signing a quality replacement

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Get rid.

 

[Heinzesight]

It’s easier to forget he exists and hope he somehow manages to stay fit for a prolonged period.

Although the ‘What minute will he clash heads with a team-mate’ or ‘What minute will he just smash the ball into orbit for no apparent reason’ sweepstake is always good for a laugh.

 

[cyberman]

I

He's been on the bench 16 games this season - the matchday squad 21 PL games this season, 3 games missed with coronavirus after international duty so can't count that.

I'm not saying he's an ironman, but he's not worse off than Paul Pogba over the past couple years and we seem to want to sign him to fantasyland money to stay.

So I'm just questioning the outrage.

Its because some posters tend to tie progress to these sorts of nothing deals than results on the pitch.
Its stupid to let him go on a free. Theres no talking around that

 

[G-MUFC]

I'm surprised he didn't sprain his hand when signing the contract.

Unreliable defender who is stealing a living.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

I

Its because some posters tend to tie progress to these sorts of nothing deals than results on the pitch.
Its stupid to let him go on a free. Theres no talking around that

it was also deemed stupid to let phil jones go on a free. Hows that working out?

 

[cyberman]

it was also deemed stupid to let phil jones go on a free. Hows that working out?

Well Bailly is actually an asset. Signing him up lets us sell him next year, year after that while still having him in reserve.
Or we let him go on a free, lose out on a fee and have to replace him with quality.
Its stupid to let him go. But then fans on here thought getting Henderson on a new deal was stupid and he had to be sold so feck knows.
Lingard would be a 25m player let go for nothing by scouts on here.
Not all Phil Jones.

 

[Dj Law]

How much would Bailly know about the summer transfer plans? He seems to be quite convinced that we’ll be fighting for gold.....