Eric Bailly seemed to subtly criticize Erik ten Hag regarding the way Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United.
In 2016, United invested £30 million to secure Bailly from Spanish La Liga side Villarreal.
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The Ivory Coast international then went on to make 113 appearances for United, scoring once.
In the summer transfer window, United permitted Bailly to depart on a free transfer despite having a year remaining on his contract.
Following a challenging stint at Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas, Bailly rejoined his former team, Villarreal.
While speaking to The Athletic, Bailly seemingly took a subtle dig at Ten Hag when discussing Ronaldo’s departure.
He said: “Cristiano Ronaldo returned, the legend coming back.
“He was the best player in the world for me. Even when he returned, Cristiano contributed a lot to the club and a player like Cristiano deserves to feel important. It’s a shame he left in the circumstances he did.”
In 2021, Ronaldo emotionally returned to United, choosing to depart Serie A side Juventus.
However, his second tenure with the Red Devils concluded on a sour note following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
Speaking about Ten Hag, the Portuguese star said: “I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”
Bailly also revealed the players he got along with during his time at Old Trafford.
He said: “I got on with the boys I played with.
“I saw a lot of Victor Lindelof — he lived one minute from my house and spoke Spanish. Harry Maguire was tranquil. I’m glad he’s playing well now; he’s a strong character and he had a difficult time with the English media.”
