Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly on Tuesday, September 6 accused his parent club Manchester United of favoring English players.
Bailly, who is currently on a season long loan at French Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille, told reporters that the Red Devils do not give every player an equal opportunity.
“The club should avoid favoring English players and give everyone a chance. [The club should] encourage competition in the dressing room, not just look out for some.
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“I’ve always had the feeling that the English players were prioritized,” he was quoted by Goal.
The former Villarreal player added that he hopes the current Manchester United tactician Erik Ten Hag will change the situation.
"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,” ended Bailly .
While at Old Trafford, Bailly struggled to get game time and when he did, he made appearances as a substitute.
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Injuries also slowed down his progress, particularly during the 2021/2022 season - he only made four Premier League appearances.
Some of the English players that Bailey competed with for game time last season included Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Phil Jones.
Bailly also divulged that Ten Hag wanted to keep him at United, but he decided not stay because of lack of enough game time.
The 28-year-old joined Manchester United in the summer of 2016 and he still has a contract with the club that ends in 2024.
In the six years that he has spent at United, Bailly has only managed to feature 113 times and scored 1 goal.
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