In the eyes of many a Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter, reports linking Leon Bailey with a £35 million move to Molineux should be taken with a pinch of salt so large it would season a whole week’s supply of McDonalds fries.
Technical director Scott Sellars has already indicated that Wolves would have to ‘get creative’ in the transfer market as they look to balance reinforcing Bruno Lage’s squad with the aftershock of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That means unless the Black Country giants can raise substantail funds via player sales – Rui Patricio is the only first-team regular to depart since May – mega-money signings will have to wait until next year at the earliest.
And Bailey certainly falls into the ‘mega-money’ category.
Will Leon Bailey join Aston Villa, not Wolves?
According to BILD, Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen have no interest in accepting a penny less than £30 million.
They have already rejected £26 million from Aston Villa though, as confirmed by the player’s stepfather and agent, talks are ongoing.
But while there’s little doubt about Bailey’s ability – he contributed 15 goals and 11 assists during the best season of his career in 2020/21 – there are substantial misgivings about the validity of Wolves’ interest.
Some at Molineux would relish the prospect of snatching a top target from under Aston Villa’s nose but surely any available funds would be better used bringing in a dominant central midfield player or a commanding centre-half?
With Francisco Trincao joining Adama Traore, Daniel Podence, Pedro Neto in Bruno Lage’s squad, there’s no shortage of talented wide players at Wolves either.
As one supporter points out, this would be ‘like looking in Ikea for a new wardrobe when you’ve got a leaky tap’.
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