Man Utd flop has contract terminated by club he left Old Trafford

Man Utd flop has contract terminated by club he left Old Trafford for four months ago

Less than halfway into a one-year contract with his new employers, a Manchester United star who departed Old Trafford in the summer has been sent packing once again

Less than six months after he was released from by Manchester United, the Ivorian is back in free agency after having his deal at Besiktas torn up. Bailly, 29, joined the Turkish titans with a view to relaunching his career but leaves Istanbul having made little to no impact at the club.

After seven years at the Theatre of Dreams, Bailly was deemed surplus to requirements in the summer. The Premier League giants decided to terminate the defender's contract despite the fact he had a year left to run on said deal (with the option of another).

But Erik ten Hag isn't the only manager who would rather have Bailly off the books, it seems, after Besiktas also let him go. It means he'll be free to find fresh employment as Europe enters the January transfer window - though his free-agent status would have made him available in any case.

He leaves the Turkish capital having made just eight appearances for the Black Eagles, who sit third in the Super Lig and 15 points off joint-leaders Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. Bailly - who joined United from Villarreal for £30million in 2016 - has struggled with numerous injuries during the first half of the season and was suspended for the final few matches of his stay.

It was a similar story when he was loaned to Ligue 1 outfit Marseille last season, where a lack of discipline marred an otherwise encouraging stint. A wayward kung-fu kick in January 2023 saw him suspended for seven games, and he struggled to have any positive impact on the pitch following his return.

The centre-back won a Europa League title and one Carabao Cup during his six years playing at Old Trafford. However, his chances of adding to that cabinet after back-to-back contract terminations don't look promising.

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The world is Bailly's oyster (to an extent) as he once again finds himself without a club. He's also free to concentrate on finding new employment after AFCON hosts the Ivory Coast omitted him from their squad ahead of the tournament, which kicks off in January.