Eric Bailly officially inked a contract with Villarreal, marking his return to the Spanish club. The Ivorian defender, who recently terminated his contract with Besiktas, signed a lease that extends his tenure with the Yellow Submarine until 2025.
Bailly’s Stint at Besiktas Cut Short
Eric Bailly’s stint at Besiktas proved to be short-lived. Following a one-year spell at Olympique de Marseille, the Ivory Coast international made a move to the Turkish club in September 2023.
However, his time with the Eagles was cut short when, on December 11, the club announced that the 29-year-old defender, along with several other players, was being sidelined due to poor performance and team incompatibilities.
The official press release stated, “They were dropped from the team due to poor performance and incompatibilities within the team.
Our work on the new personnel structure continues.” This separation occurred one year before the completion of his contract with the Turkish club.
Homecoming for Bailly at Villarreal
In a notable return, Eric Bailly has rejoined Villarreal.
Now free from contractual obligations, the Ivorian defender committed to the Yellow Submarine until 2025.
The announcement of his signing came after successfully completing the required medical examination.
Eric Bailly is set to join the rest of his teammates for training on Sunday at the José Manuel Llaneza Sports City.
It’s worth noting that Bailly previously played for Villarreal during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, making this move a homecoming for the talented defender.