Aston Villa have confirmed that Leon Bailey has joined Roma on loan for the rest of the season, with reports that an option to buy is included in the agreement.
The 28-year-old was a key figure for Unai Emery in the 2023/24 campaign, but he lost his way last year due to injuries, a lack of confidence and consistency, as he managed just two goals and four assists in 38 appearances across all competitions.
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With Villa restricted in what we’re able to do in the transfer market due to financial regulations, Emery needs a more decisive presence in the final third and contributions from across all options at his disposal, and so with Bailey seemingly falling short of those expectations, the club have opted to move him on.
As per Villa’s official statement, Bailey has now departed to join Roma on loan, while Matt Maher reports that the option to buy clause stands at around £19m if the Serie A giants wish to sign him on a permanent basis next summer.
It’s arguably a move that makes sense for the Jamaican international too as he gets a fresh start elsewhere to rediscover his best form, and time will tell if he does enough to convince Roma to sign him outright, or perhaps if his form with the Italian side attracts interest from elsewhere next summer to seal a permanent exit.
From a Villa perspective now though, it’s imperative that the club use the increased financial flexibility that we have to bring in reinforcements, as having seen both Jacob Ramsey and Bailey leave over the past week, we’re short of attacking options in the final third as we look to compete on multiple fronts this year.
In turn, the expectation is that it’s going to be a busy end to the summer transfer window for Villa, even if we’re restricted to the loan market, as Emery will want to fill the voids that have opened up and raise the level of the squad where possible.
Speculation this week has linked us with a move for Nicolas Jackson, and so time will tell if we’re now in a position to move for the Chelsea forward having raised funds, but importantly, also cleared space on our wage bill to ensure we remain in compliance with our settlement agreement with UEFA, and with the wiggle room to add new players to the equation too.
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