Ex-Manchester United Defender Eric Bailly Rejects Move to Saudi Club, According to Romano

Central defender **Eric Bailly** will not be joining the Saudi club **Al-Najma**. This information was shared by journalist Fabrizio Romano on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

According to the source, the player initially agreed on the terms of a contract with the Saudi club, but later decided to halt negotiations.

Bailly is a product of **Espanyol’s** youth academy and has played for the senior team there, in addition to stints at **Villarreal**, **Manchester United**, **Marseille**, and **Beşiktaş**. In 2023, he made a return to **Villarreal**. As of July 1, 2025, Eric will be a free agent. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €2 million.