Aston Villa ‘plan to accept Leon Bailey offer’ in new transfer twist
Aston Villa are planning to accept offers for Leon Bailey in the summer transfer window, according to the club’s former scout.
Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected at Villa Park and also worked as the chief scout at Man United and Blackburn, exclusively told Football Insider that the 27-year-old is no longer a part of Unai Emery’s long-term plans.
Bailey had been heavily linked with a move away from the club during the January transfer window amid a plethora of incoming signings to bolster their attack.
Donyell Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio all arrived at Villa in the last month, forcing the Jamaica international further down the pecking order.
Meanwhile, concerns about Bailey’s consistency and impact on the team have arisen behind the scenes after he dropped out of the starting XI.
The winger has started just three of Villa’s last nine Premier League games, and his picked up just one goal and three assists so far this season.
Leon Bailey to leave Aston Villa after Unai Emery decision
Emery is known to have high demands of his players, and there have been suggestions that Bailey has dipped below the required standard and will be allowed to leave.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that a split could be the best move for both the player and the manager in the summer.
“Emery is a manager who knows what he wants from his players,” he told Football Insider.
“He wants somebody who gives him a consistent level of performance every week.
“The concern about Bailey is that consistency. He can be hit and miss. When he’s a hit, he can be devastating, but he can also go the other way.
“He’ll have games where he completely fades out of it.
“That’s not what you need while you’re in the Premier League and trying to compete in Europe.
“But yes is the answer, I think he’ll probably be looking to move on in the summer and I think that’s something Villa would be open to as well.
“Particularly with the signings they’ve made in January, his place in the team is under question.”
In other news, Arsenal plan to make new Ollie Watkins offer in the summer.
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