Bailly: I will give all my strength to Manchester United

Eric Bailly is enjoying the atmosphere at Manchester United, and he is ready to give all his strength to the club.

The Ivorian defender has played five games for the Red Devils this term after returning from a knee injury which ruled him out for six months.

Bailly’s stint in Manchester has been hampered by fitness problems, featuring in 52 Premier League games since his arrival from Villarreal in 2016.

During his recovery period in January, Manchester United triggered a two-year extension to his contract that will keep him at the club until June 2022.

Bailly has described his stay at Manchester a dream, and he is proud to be playing in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team.

“When I’m asked about Manchester, as a joke I always say the [best thing] is the weather because we all know the weather isn’t good,” he told ESPN.

“But what I really like is the atmosphere, the moments that I get to live out with the club. Here, people really live for football.

“Their passion for the game is enormous so for me, being here, I realise that we need to always give our best.

“To just sign to play for Man United is a dream. To be a part of a team this big is the best thing.

“That’s why I’m so proud to play for Man United and that’s why I give everything I can when I’m out on the pitch. I will literally give all my strength to this club.”

Following his lengthy spell on the sidelines, Bailly made a ‘phenomenal’ return from injury in a Premier League match against Chelsea in February.

The 25-year-old played for the duration as United cruised to a 2-0 win over Frank Lampard’s men.

“If you’ve not been playing for a long time, in a league as strong as this one, the truth is that it’s hard,” he added.

“Imagine with an injury as long as mine too! But the truth is, I’ve been lucky with my teammates to have their help and support and I had a phenomenal return.

“It was a difficult match against Chelsea, my first match back, and thank God that we won.”