Aston Villa have held further talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a summer transfer for Leon Bailey after seeing an opening offer for the Jamaican winger rejected, according to 90min.
Dean Smith’s outfit are responding to the Bundesliga club’s snub by increasing their efforts to bring Bailey to the Premier League. The Villans were not scared off by the impasse, and are also now engaging with the forward’s agent.
Aston Villa were the first of several Premier League sides to express their interest in Bailey to Bayer Leverkusen. Leicester, Everton, Southampton and Wolves also want the 23-year-old, who Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have previously courted, as well.
Neither of the Premier League’s three interested big-six clubs are yet to make a move this summer, however. But could become increasingly attentive deeper in the market as Bailey seeks a new challenge after four years in Germany.
Bailey believes now is the time to leave Bayer Leverkusen and the Aston Villa target will look to secure a move once he returns to North Rhine-Westphalia for pre-season. He is late to return to the BayArena after featuring at the Gold Cup, but Jamaica lost in the quarter-final.
Bayer Leverkusen would sell Bailey to Aston Villa for over £30m as he has two years left on his contract. Die Werkself have already rejected a £25m bid from the Villans, per the Daily Mail. The British tabloid also noted the winger is open to a Premier League move.
The Daily Mail have also reported Bailey would replace Anwar El Ghazi at Villa Park if a deal is secured. While The Athletic cited Everton’s interest in the £70,000-per-week winger, as well. The Toffees have extensively scouted the dynamo’s progress for the past two years.
Aston Villa can land an ‘immense’ player in Bayer Leverkusen star Bailey
With Aston Villa actively increasing their pursuit of Bailey, Smith can land a top-draw talent in the Bayer Leverkusen winger. The Villans are also only around £5m shy of striking a deal, which should not be an issue to close. And in doing so, beat their building rival suitors.
Smith would also acquire a rapid speedster who scored 15 goals and 11 assists in all coemptions last season. The 23-year-old also found consistency in the Bundesliga with his longest goal involvement drought only lasting four fixtures.
Peter Bosz, who Leverkusen sacked in March, also hailed Bailey while in charge at the BayArena. He said, via Bundesliga.com, of the Aston Villa target: “Leon’s talent is immense. He’s now managing to show this, and he’s paying it all back to us.”
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