Ex-Man Utd's Bailly told he's 'cursed' in WhatsApp threats from a furious agent

10 December 2023 , 17:19

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Eric Bailly joined Besiktas from Manchester United over the summer (Image: Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

Eric Bailly says he has become the victim of a sickening campaign of threats, violence and even a curse.

Former Manchester United star Bailly has been sent a string of WhatsApp messages by an agent who claims he is owed money from the deal which took the defender to Turkish club Besiktas in September.

The agent sent a message to Bailly during Besiktas’s 3-1 defeat to Fenerbahce on Saturday night, promising to put a curse on him.

Then immediately afterwards, Bailly was penalised for handball and conceded a penalty and the agent sent another message which read: “I am happy to see what my curse is doing to you. You are not a man. You are a big Mickey Mouse.”

Bailly, 29, has been sent dozens of messages and has also claimed that the agent has “threatened to send people” round to him. The matter has been reported to Besiktas who promised to report it to the police while world governing body FIFA also oversees agents.

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Mirror Football has seen the messages and a picture of the agent at the centre of the row. There have been dozens of messages sent to the player’s phone ranging from threatening to abusive.

One 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 is represented by his uncle Severin Bohui, who is a fully licensed agent and insists that he did the deal and no-one else was involved.

Bailly and his agent Severin Bohui

Bohui 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.”

John Cross