Ronaldo raids Man Utd again with transfer advice to another former team-mate
Manchester United outcast Eric Bailly has been in dialogue with Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of a potential £20million move to Al-Nassr.
Bailly, 29, has been cut adrift by Erik ten Hag after spending last season on loan at Marseille. Permitted not to return for pre-season training and unsurprisingly snubbed from the Red Devils' travelling squad who jetted off to the USA, the Ivorian defender is keen to secure an exit and Ronaldo's Al-Nassr appear to have come to his rescue.
After United left-back Alex Telles, who was also loaned out last term, joined the Saudi Arabian side this weekend, Sky Sports are reporting that Old Trafford chiefs are in talks to send Bailly there, too. A three-year contract worth £20m has been discussed, with the injury-prone centre-back having entered the final 12 months of his deal at Old Trafford which includes the option of an extra year.
It's added that Ronaldo spoke to Bailly directly to discuss the Saudi Pro League and life in the city of Riyadh, where Al-Nassr are based. Having likely spoken to Telles before his transfer was confirmed on Sunday, legendary former Red Devil Ronaldo also gave advice to Anthony Elanga, who looks to be the next star heading out of Old Trafford.
Having played alongside the five-time Ballon d'Or winner during his second spell at the club, Elanga is nearing a £15m switch to Nottingham Forest. The Sweden international still looks up to Ronaldo, though, telling native outlet Aftonbladet last year when the Portuguese megastar had just had his contract torn up by United chiefs: "He means a lot to me.
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"He has helped me a lot not only on the pitch but off it as well. He is an inspiration, not only to me but to all the young players at United. Sometimes it's just me and him at the gym."
Elanga was then asked whether his opinion of Ronaldo had changed because of the manner of his acrimonious departure from Old Trafford in November. "No, not so much," the 21-year-old affirmed. "Because when I'm with him, he hasn't changed. He is still Cristiano Ronaldo to me. He has helped me a lot."
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Eric Bailly spent last season loan at Marseille (Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)Elanga was at least named in the Red Devils' pre-season tour squad, unlike Bailly and Telles. The latter spent the 2022-23 campaign with Spanish side Sevilla, winning the Europa League.
For Bailly, it was another season blighted by injuries which led to French giants Marseille not taking an interest in signing him permanently. The 29-year-old has, however, been offered sympathy by his old international manager, Patrick Beaumelle, but even he admits that Bailly's career is in tatters.
"It's a mess. He remains and will remain one of the best defenders I have known," Beaumelle recently told Africa Foot United. "It's a shame because a 100 per cent Bailly could have helped the team to grab points to be second.
"He has not always been 100 per cent, it is perhaps the fault of bad luck, when he loved Marseille and would have appreciated being part of this project."
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