According to The Mirror, former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly has been subjected to ‘sickening’ threats and harassment, reportedly receiving alarming messages from an agent.
The report claims that he was sent a series of Whatsapp messages by an agent who alleges that the player owes him money from his move to Turkish club Besiktas in September.
The agent reportedly sent the player a series of messages on Whatsapp during Besiktas’s 3-1 defeat to Fenerbahce this weekend.
The agent’s messages escalated from promising to cast a curse on Bailly to derogatory insults following an on-field penalty conceded by the player.
Soon after he conceded a penalty for handball after which he got another message saying: “I am happy to see what my curse is doing to you. You are not a man. You are a big Mickey Mouse.”
This was followed by a dozen of messages that even ‘threatened to send people’ round to him.
Another message as revealed by The Mirror said: “I will not let you f*** me in my own country. You will see what happens after I open a fraud case against you.”
Bailly has informed Besiktas officials, who are to initiate a police report regarding the threats.
He is represented by his uncle Severin Bohui who insists he was the only person involved in the deal and no other agent was involved.
Bohui highlighted the agent’s persistent threats and blackmail attempts, stressing that no contractual agreement existed between Bailly and the agent. The situation was described as a security concern rather than merely a FIFA-related matter.
He told Mirror Football:
“He’s not stopped sending him threats, messages and blackmails. He is insinuating Eric owes him some money, because he was part of the people who brokered his move to Besiktas. Therefore Eric should pay him some money.
“I asked Eric if he signed any intermediation contract with this guy, he said no. I also asked the club if they knew this guy or if they asked him to speak to Eric on their behalf, they also said no. Same old story of agents trying to barge in deals.
“One thing is for sure this guy has not stopped harassing Eric. He even sent him a message today after their defeat to Fenerbahce. He’s threatening to send people out to him so I don’t think blocking him will solve the problem. This is more of a security issue than a FIFA one.”
The Ivorian defender, who had a six-year spell at Manchester United before leaving on loan to Marseille and eventually joining Besiktas on a free transfer.