Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on Arsenal target Leon Bailey and are ready to meet Bayer Leverkusen’s £30 million asking price for the attacker.
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are ready to spend big again and are eyeing a sensational move for Leon Bailey. The Bayer Leverkusen attacker is also a target of Arsenal, but the Midlands club are ready to move ahead with a reported £30 million move for the Jamaican.
Leon Bailey is no stranger to Premier League links, with many big clubs interested in his signature in recent years. The Jamaican has stayed on at Leverkusen but could move in this window, with plenty of interest from England. Aston Villa and Arsenal are reportedly chasing him, while Leverkusen are ready to sell their star man.
Bailey has been impressive for the Bundesliga side, and last season produced a return of 15 goals and 11 assists in all competitions. His numbers have attracted Arsenal, who are on the lookout for an attacker with creative capabilities, while Aston Villa are also searching for a player with a similar profile to Bailey’s.
However, the Villans are set to pip Arsenal for his signature, as they are ready to make Leverkusen an offer. The German outfit reportedly want £30 million for the Jamaican, who has two years left on his current deal. The financial climate across Europe is forcing clubs to generate as many funds as possible through player sales.
Aston Villa have been busy throughout this summer with some impressive additions so far. Manager Dean Smith wants to build on their impressive season last term, and Villa have already signed Emiliano Buendia in a reported deal going up to £40 million from Norwich, alongside the free transfer of veteran Ashley Young.
The Villans wanted to sign another player in the mould of Buendia, and saw two good offers rejected by Arsenal for 20-year-old attacker Emile Smith Rowe. With the Gunners clearly not interested in selling Smith Rowe, Villa have turned their attention towards Bailey.
Arsenal are interested in Bailey, but could look at alternate targets who fit their desired profile. Arsenal have plenty of attackers in Bukayo Saka, Smith Rowe, Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli, while captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is also an option to be a wide forward.
The Gunners want a player in the No.10 position, with James Maddison high on their list. While the Leicester City man would cost a huge fee, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was interested in Bailey as an alternative. However, with Aston Villa ready to meet Leverkusen’s £30 million asking price, Bailey looks destined to play for them next season.
If Villa beat Arsenal to Bailey’s signature and retain their stars such as Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins, they might be force to reckon with next season due to their brilliant front-line. The addition of the Jamaican will certainly boost Smith’s attacking options and could be key to determine where they finish next season.
