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Former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly has officially joined a new club ahead of the upcoming season.

The Ivory Coast international first arrived at Manchester United in the summer of 2016, signing from Spanish side Villarreal. During his six seasons at Old Trafford, Bailly’s progress was repeatedly interrupted by injuries, limiting his total appearances to 113 across all competitions, during which he scored just once.

In the 2022–2023 campaign, Bailly was loaned to French club Olympique de Marseille before leaving United permanently in 2023 to join Turkish side Beşiktaş. He later made a return to Spain in the winter of 2024, re-signing with Villarreal, but managed to feature in only 25 matches over a season and a half.

Last season, Bailly moved to Real Oviedo, where he again endured limited playing time, making just 15 appearances. Now, the central defender has secured a fresh start in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.

American club Columbus Crew confirmed the signing on their official website, stating, “The Columbus Crew have acquired free agent defender Eric Bailly, who most recently played for Spain’s Real Oviedo and possesses 12 seasons of experience combined between La Liga and the English Premier League.”

Bailly has signed a contract running until June 2027, with the club retaining an option to extend the deal for two additional seasons, potentially keeping him at the club until 2029.

Issa Tall, the General Manager of Columbus Crew, commented, “We are excited to welcome Eric to Columbus. His experience at the highest levels of the game, combined with his defensive quality, leadership, and composure, will strengthen our backline and have an impact on our roster.”

He further added, “Eric brings a winning mentality and valuable experience that will benefit our group both on and off the field. We look forward to integrating him into the team as we continue pushing toward our goals in the second half of the season.”