Ivory Coast international defender Eric Bailly has been loaned with an option to buy to French Ligue 1 club Marseille, the clubs said Wednesday.

The fee would reportedly be six million euros while Marseille take on Bailly's five million euros annual salary.

Bailly joined United from Villarreal in 2016 and has played 113 tines for the English side.

He has, however, slipped down the hierarchy at United since the arrival of Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof.