Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey has confirmed there is “concrete interest” in him amid speculation linking him with Chelsea and Liverpool.
According to German sports magazine Kicker, 20-year old Bundesliga sensation Leon Bailey has revealed that there is “concrete interest” from Premier League giants Chelsea and Liverpool in securing his signature this summer.
The Bayer Leverkusen starlet has been heavily linked with a move away from Germany in the past few months, with a transfer to the Premier League strongly mooted. Serie A heavyweights AS Roma too have been credited with interest in him.
And when quizzed about the alleged interest in him in an interview, Bailey told Kicker, “There’s concrete interest. What I can say is that my full focus is on developing myself as a young player, and that’s what I’ll focus on. If a club wants me, my management and Bayer 04 will take care of it.”
Chelsea have been scouring the transfer market for attacking reinforcements all summer, owing to the fact that star man Eden Hazard continues to be linked with a move away to UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid.
Considering the fact that Willian too was reported to be headed out of the club and the under-performing nature of Pedro, it makes sense that the Blues would be looking at someone like Bailey who would add more menace to their attacking line-up, with his pace and goal-scoring abilities.
Liverpool have been monitoring the 20-year old for some time now, with manager Jurgen Klopp keen on strengthening his attacking options, behind the preferred first-choice trio of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.
The Merseysiders have signed Xherdan Shaqiri from Stoke City already this summer, but remain in the market for further attacking reinforcements. They have been linked with a move for another young Bundesliga sensation, Christian Pulisic, but Bailey also remains on the Reds’ radar.
AS Roma too are understood to be in the reckoning to land the Jamaican winger, after the Serie A giants were beaten by Barcelona in the race to sign Brazilian forward Malcom from French Ligue 1 outfit Bordeaux.
After joining Bayer Leverkusen from Belgian side Genk in January last year, Bailey has gone on to feature 44 times for the club, netting 12 goals and setting up 7 more. The 20-year old took the field 30 times in the 2017-18 Bundesliga season, scoring nine and assisting six goals, helping Leverkusen to a fifth-place finish.
The Jamaica-born attacker still has four years left on his contract with the German outfit. However, he had hinted at the possibility of a transfer to the Premier League recently. And following his latest claims, a move away from the BayArena this summer looks a distinct possibility. But it remains to be seen where his next destination lies.
