Donny van de Beek and Eric Bailly, two Manchester United players, may yet see a transfer away from Old Trafford in the coming week. The English transfer season came to a thunderous close last Friday, capping off a summer that set a new spending record for the Premier League. Clubs in England’s elite league forked out a staggering £2.36 billion, eclipsing the prior record of £1.8 billion.
Manchester United were not shy in joining this summer’s spending spree, doling out a hefty £176 million, which included a £72 million outlay for Atalanta’s striker Rasmus Hojlund.
Under the stewardship of Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils bolstered their squad with seven new faces while also letting some players go, either on permanent transfers or loans. Van de Beek and Bailly were expected to be among those exiting, yet they remained at Old Trafford past the Friday cut-off.
However, a recent report from the Manchester Evening News suggests that both players could still part ways with the club in the near future.
Since his transfer from Ajax in the summer of 2020, Van de Beek has had a challenging time settling in Manchester. With 60 appearances under his belt, the Dutch midfielder is now considered excess to requirements, sparking interest from various European clubs. He is said to have rejected a loan move to France’s FC Lorient, but ongoing discussions with Turkish club Galatasaray offer a glimmer of hope. Given that Turkey’s transfer window remains open until 15th September, a deal could yet be on the cards.
As for Bailly, the centre-back returned to Manchester United following a loan spell at Marseille last season. Currently, he finds himself down the pecking order, trailing behind defenders such as Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelof. Consequently, Ten Hag does not see him as part of his future plans. A move to the Saudi Pro League has been floated as a viable option, and since their transfer window is open until 7th September, Bailly still has a window of opportunity to secure a new footballing home.
