Aston Villa agree £1.7m loan deal for Leon Bailey
What's the story
Aston Villa have reportedly agreed a loan deal with AS Roma for the transfer of Leon Bailey. The Jamaican winger is set to join the Italian club on a temporary basis, with an option for a permanent move later. As per Sky Sports News, the deal comes at a loan fee of £1.7m (€2m). The agreement also contains the option to buy the winger for around £19m (€22m).
Financial terms
Deal includes permanent signing option for Roma
As mentioned, the deal also includes an option for Roma to sign Bailey permanently for around €22 million. Under the agreement, Roma will pay Bailey's full wages during his loan spell. The initial discussions had focused on making the move permanent at the end of the season, but further negotiations led to this new arrangement with an optional clause for a permanent transfer.
Transfer process
Bailey to undergo medical on Tuesday
Bailey is set to fly to Rome on Monday evening for his medical examination on Tuesday. He missed Aston Villa's last match against Newcastle United as his future was being discussed. The winger has been training separately from the first-team squad during this period. His father has also been in Rome recently, negotiating the terms of the deal with AS Roma.
Player profile
A look at his career stats
Bailey joined Aston Villa in August 2021 from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of around £30 million. He has since made 144 appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals and providing 24 assists. However, his form dipped toward the end of last season as he played through injury and illness. Despite these challenges, head coach Unai Emery has been working closely with him to improve his performance on the field.