Manchester United have confirmed the ninth departure from Old Trafford this summer, with Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly having joined Marseille on loan for the 22/23 season.
Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Edinson Cavani have all left the club on loan, while Dean Henderson and Alex Telles have departed on loan. Meanwhile, veteran goalkeeper Lee Grant has retired, and Andreas Pereira has joined Fulham for an undisclosed fee.
And, having signed Lisandro Martinez from Ajax, it was always likely that more departures would follow, with Phil Jones, Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe all deemed surplus to requirements.
Now, it has been confirmed, Bailly is the first to leave, with French side Marseille agreeing a loan move that includes the possibility of a permanent transfer at the end of the season.
The French side will cover the entirety of his wages, while the option to buy the player for 6m euros becomes mandatory dependent on Champions League qualification and appearances made by the central defender.
He joins a growing corps of Premier League castaways in the south of France, with former Arsenal pair Sead Kolasinac and Matteo Guendouzi both plying their trade there, along with former Manchester United teammate Alexis Sanchez.
🎥 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘀
🎬 𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗫𝗜
✍️ «𝗗𝗮𝗼 𝗗𝗮𝗼 𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗰» #BienvenueSurMars 𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 🇨🇮🛸 pic.twitter.com/YgFJlGDRRE— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) August 24, 2022
What next for United?
There is hope that at least two more players will come through the door at Old Trafford this summer, with a forward and a backup goalkeeper both on the radar.
They are expected to return with an improved offer for Antony, though it is unclear whether Ajax will accept the offer.
Another right back could also be on the agenda if Crystal Palace firm up their interest in Aaron Wan-Bissaka, while James Garner is set to leave the club, with Southampton and Everton both keen on the midfielder.
