Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey has reportedly given his approval to a move to Roma, with the two clubs continuing discussions over a deal.
The 28-year-old’s future at Villa has been in doubt this summer after a disappointing season last year, as he struggled to follow up his excellent form in the previous campaign.
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Injuries and a lack of consistency saw the Jamaican international fall short of the contribution we needed from him, and it was clear that he was struggling without confidence to showcase his talent.
According to Matteo Moretto, contacts are continuing between Villa and Roma this week as they try to reach an agreement on a deal for Bailey to move to the Italian capital, with Besiktas said to almost be out of the race for him.
It’s added that Bailey himself has given the green light to the switch, which is reported to be on the basis of an initial paid loan with an option to buy included in the deal.
Ultimately, it’s a move that makes sense for all concerned if it does go ahead, as Villa will create space in the squad and give ourselves further financial flexibility, while Bailey should get a more prominent role as he’s likely to continue to sit further down the pecking order at Villa this season following the arrival of Evann Guessand and Emiliano Buendia’s return.
It’s unclear at this stage if Villa will be in a position to bring in a reinforcement in that department if he were to leave, but it would bring our wage bill down and potentially raise significant funds next summer, which in turn would benefit us from a PSR and SCR standpoint.
Unai Emery will be wary of weakening his squad though as Jacob Ramsey closes in on a move to Newcastle United, and so it could be a busy end to the summer transfer window for Villa as we continue to try and improve the squad, but also juggle that with the financial complications that we continue to face.
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