Bailey to be offered new Aston Villa deal on one condition - Sources

By Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

18th Oct, 2023 | 4:00pm

Sources: Leon Bailey to be offered new Aston Villa deal on one condition

Leon Bailey is expected to be offered a new Aston Villa deal if he plays regularly in the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign, sources have told Football Insider.

Football Insider revealed on Monday (16 October) that the Villains are plotting to open initial talks with the 26-year-old before the new year.

However, a well-placed source also told Football Insider that manager Unai Emery holds some reservations about Bailey’s injury record and his ability to remain fit.

The winger is out of contract in June 2025, meaning he will have 18 months left on his deal in the January transfer window.

He is yet to meet expectations since arriving for a reported fee of £25million in 2021.

Bailey penned a four-year deal at Villa Park and earns a reported wage of £100,000-a-week.

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The Jamaica international has had a decent start to the new campaign, notching four goals and two assists in 11 games across all competitions.

However, he has struggled to nail down a regular starting berth in the Premier League and hasn’t been named in the first 11 for any of their last four top-flight games.

The winger, who was forced to sit out a huge part of his first season in England with fitness problems, missed last month’s 6-1 demolition of Brighton with a small injury.

But with Aston Villa playing Europa Conference League football this season and ambitions at the club of reaching the higher echelons of the English top-flight, Bailey is regarded as a useful player for Emery’s squad depth.

He has racked up 10 goals and eight assists in 65 appearances for the club since his arrival.

Aston Villa sit fifth in the Premier League after winning five of their opening eight top-flight games.

Jamaica international Bailey featured in games against Haiti and Grenada during the international break.

In other news, Aston Villa in pole position to sign EFL star.