Premier League giants Arsenal are reportedly battling Chelsea to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga youngster Leon Bailey.
Chelsea are preparing a club-record £85 million bid for Leon Bailey, according to The Express, meaning Arsenal might have to consider selling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to raise funds for the Bayer Leverkusen star.
It might come as a surprise to learn, amid claims that Bailey could be on the move for a fee larger than the one Real Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo, that a Jamaican winger has endured a rather difficult spell at the German giants.
The former Genk flyer has started just seven Bundesliga games during the current campaign. And, if we are being honest, he has never really managed to build on that staggering 2017/18 season, overshadowed and eclipsed by fellow youngster Kai Havertz at the Bay Arena.
So it’s fair to say selling Aubameyang, one of the world’s hottest goalscorers, and replacing him with a winger who has flattered to deceive over the last 18 months would represent quite the risk.
With Chelsea prepared to invest £85 million in Bailey, The Express suggests that only cashing in on Aubameyang would give Arsenal a realistic chance of beating their London rivals to the 22-year-old’s sought-after signature.
The Gabonese goal-machine is valued at the Emirates at around £60 million with his contract due to expire in the summer of 2021.
Yes, Bailey is a player with vast potential and an eye for the spectacular, as extraordinary goals against Bayern Munich and Rangers will attest, but he is a million miles away from the end product. He’s not even the most exciting young talent at Leverkusen right now.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
