Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr are advancing in negotiations to secure the signing of Manchester United defender Eric Bailly.
The 29-year-old is poised to bid farewell to Old Trafford after a seven-year stint with the club and is on the verge of joining a wave of stars making their way to the Middle East this summer.
Bailly would reunite with former Manchester United teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Alex Telles at Al-Nassr.
He initially joined Manchester United from Villarreal in 2016 under the management of Jose Mourinho.
Despite showing early promise, his progress in England has been hindered by injuries. He has made just 113 appearances for the Red Devils.
The arrival of Erik ten Hag as manager saw Bailly drop down the pecking order last season.
He went on loan to Marseille for game time, but they declined to make the move permanent.
Real Betis showed interest in acquiring Bailly’s services, but he is nearing a move to Saudi Arabia on a lucrative three-year contract.
Saudi Pro League clubs have been investing heavily in European players this summer, offering tempting sums to entice them to play in the Middle East.
Ronaldo was the first high-profile arrival in Saud Arabia, and he has been followed by several more players from Europe’s top leagues.
Marcelo Brozovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Roberto Firmino, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Jota, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and many others have already made the move to the region.
This influx of talent is part of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious efforts to elevate its league to a world-class standard.
