Eric Bailly's loan spell at Marseille away from Manchester United has been labelled 'a mess' by his former Ivory Coast boss Patrice Beaumelle.
Defender Bailly has spent the campaign over in the French top flight this season on loan at the Stade Velodrome. Bailly, who has been at United since 2016, has dropped down the pecking order in the heart of defence at Old Trafford.
But his time at the French side has not gone to plan. He has been in and out of the team and played only 22 times for Marseille, and was banned for seven matches after a red card as the result of a flying tackle on Almike Moussa Diaye in a French Cup match against Hyeres in January.
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Bailly has a year left to run on his United contract and looks likely to depart Old Trafford this summer. Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and even Luke Shaw are ahead of him in the pecking order in the heart of defence.
It seems Marseille will not be exercising the option to take Bailly on a permanent basis this summer and Beaumelle believes his former defender's time at Marseille has been 'a mess', despite his admiration for him. He believes it is a shame and the player himself would have loved to continue his time at the French club.
Speaking to Africa Foot United, Beaumelle said: “It's a mess. He remains and will remain one of the best defenders I have known. He had discomfort behind his hamstrings which prevented him from continuing.
"Yet he hoped to be quiet, had good feelings. Then he disappeared from radar against all odds.
"It's a shame because a 100% Bailly could have helped the team to grab points to be second. He has not always been 100%, it is perhaps the fault of bad luck, when he loved OM and would have appreciated being part of this project."
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