Aston Villa have reached an agreement to sign Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey, the club have confirmed. The news comes in the midst of uncertainty surrounding Jack Grealish’s future. Manchester City have reportedly made a £100 million offer for the midfielder, who may leave Villa Park.
Bailey, one he completes a medical, will become Villa’s third signing of the summer, following Emi Buendia and Ashley Young through the door, setting Dean Smith up with a better squad than ever. Now, even if Grealish leaves, Villa will have enough depth to cope and aim for a strong top-half finish.
Aston Villa Reach Agreement With Leverkusen for Leon Bailey
Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen have reached an agreement for the transfer of Leon Bailey subject to the player completing a medical and finalising personal terms.
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 31, 2021
Replacement for Grealish?
Jack Grealish, although sometimes placed in central midfield, often finds himself on the wing, leaving many questioning the intention of the Leon Bailey deal. Could the Leverkusen man become the Grealish replacement? Or will he combine with the Villa captain to create the ultimate partnership?
We should find out the answer to those questions in the coming weeks. For now, however, Dean Smith’s focus will be on forming a starting 11 capable of defeating the top dogs in the Premier League, with or without Jack Grealish.
The creative spark and threat Bailey will offer should only improve Aston Villa and add the crucial depth needed to reach new heights. Last season, they teased a European finish before falling at the final hurdle as a long season caught up with them.
Entering the forthcoming campaign, they needn’t worry about fixture congestion coming back to bite them. They have made the necessary additions to avoid such a problem. You could argue that they now have a squad worthy of upsetting the odds for a top seven finish. Let’s face it, we’ve seen crazier things happen in the Premier League.
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