Aston Villa are bidding £ 30m for Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey to continue their summer spending.
Dean Smith is keen to add his attacking options this summer, with the club record signing of former Norwich talisman Emi Buendia already confirmed.
Leon Bailey may be on his way to the Premier League / Pool / Getty Images
It is still unclear if Smith is trying to build on his team’s decent 11th Premier League finish last season, or if he is preparing for life with Jack Grealish who is perceived to be a £ 100m target for champions Manchester City.
However, the talented kid Bailey has been identified as a summer target, with the Daily Mail reporting that Villa are preparing a bid of between 25 and 30 million pounds.
Bailey has always been one of Leverkusen’s top players since joining Genk in 2017, although the 2020/21 campaign saw him enjoy his best season to date as he scored 15 goals and 11 assists in 40 appearances.
A number of Premier League clubs have been credited with interest in the Jamaica international recently, with Manchester United and Everton in particular spying as potential suitors.
Despite Villa’s admiration for Bailey, the winger still has two years left on his contract with Leverkusen and they are therefore not under any pressure to earn one of their valuable assets.
If Smith succeeds in reaching an agreement, it will be a big coup as he continues to strengthen his squad for the 2021/22 season.
Dean Smith makes movements in the market this summer / Alex Broadway / Getty Images
Along with Buendia, Villa have also secured the signing of former fans’ favorite Ashley Young, while they are also said to be monitoring Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse and Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks.
With so many potential arrivals on the horizon, there are expected to be some departures in the coming weeks, with the club reportedly offering Anwar El Ghazi.
The Dutchman is attracting interest from Italy and is not expected to be a Villa player coming early in the 2021/22 campaign.
