(Football news) Eric Bailly in an exclusive interview accused Manchester United of prioritising English players during his time at the club, claiming that the selection was based on nationality rather than the players ability. The Ivory Coast centre back, who joined Marseille on loan in the summer, was signed by United in 2016 but his time at United was hampered by injuries and he subsequently made only four league appearances last season after slipping down the pecking order. He was often left out of the United starting line-up with struggling Harry Maguire playing regularly.
It has also been reported earlier that an English bias was prevalent at the club as players like Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan Bissaka were picked over the likes of Diogo Dalot, Alex Telles and Raphael Varane despite the fact that their performance was horrendous last season. Bailly made 113 appearances over the course of six seasons with United and was Jose Mourinho's first signing as boss. The Ivorian centre-back was bought for a fee of £30million from Villarreal. After a positive first season in which he won the Community Shield, EFL Cup and Europa League. injuries derailed Bailly's Old Trafford career.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match away to Tottenham Hotspur, Bailly appeared to take aim at Maguire being chosen ahead of him. "The club should avoid favouring English players and give everyone a chance. [The club should] encourage competition in the dressing room, not just look out for some. I’ve always had the feeling that the national player was prioritised. That doesn’t happen at Chelsea or other big Premier League clubs. Some people take it for granted that they are going to start, and that weakens the team. Luckily [Erik] Ten Hag has a lot of character and I hope he can change that dynamic," said Bailly.
While speaking of Ten Hag and his decision to leave Manchester United despite the Dutch coach's assurances, Bailly added, "I met Erik Ten Hag in the dressing room at the end of last season when he went to sign his contract. I was packing my things because my intention was to leave, but he told me he wanted me to stay because he was going to give minutes to everyone. I agreed to do the summer tour with United, and he kept his word, but I don’t want to play every now and then. I want to do it every week and feel important. I want to get my confidence back.”
In a wider reflection on his time in England, Bailly added by saying that "I was Mourinho's first signing and I also had good moments where titles were won. I played important games and in some, I was chosen as the best player. I think when I was given the opportunity I rose to the occasion. I just lacked consistency, because I think I deserved more minutes."
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