Leon Bailey ‘to join Newcastle’ as Aston Villa ready sensational new swap transfer
Aston Villa face a tough upcoming summer transfer window as they look to retain their place in the Champions League.
The 2024/25 campaign has been mixed for Aston Villa, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and the FA Cup semi-finals, but a major trophy continues to remain elusive.
On top of this, as the final three Premier League games approach, it is looking increasingly unlikely that Villa will qualify for the Champions League for a second straight campaign.
Now, Unai Emery’s side faces yet another summer of financial restrictions, and Villa may have to sell another big name to avoid PSR breaches, which is likely to limit their spending.
Therefore, smart deals are a must this summer, and Leon Bailey could fall victim to that.
Aston Villa could seal sensational Bailey swap
Bailey has been less than inspiring at Villa this season. The winger has struggled to match his form from previous years and is in clear decline.
This has led to rumours that Bailey could depart Aston Villa this summer as they look to cash in on some of their prize assets.
| Leon Bailey’s stats at Aston Villa this season | |
| Appearances | 37 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 4 |
However, instead of looking for a fee for the Jamaican international, the Birmingham outfit should instead seek a swap deal for Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes.
According to the Daily Mail (8 May), the Magpies are considering letting the England international go in the summer, with Villa interested.
Given the current PSR issues with both clubs, a potential swap deal could make sense.
This would be a sensational deal for Villa. Not only would they be getting rid of an ageing, out-of-form winger, but they would be adding home-grown talent to the squad.
Barnes has shown multiple times throughout his career that he is a top player, and he could easily explode his form under Emery.
Aston Villa need to seek more potential swap deals
While swap deals have gone a bit out of fashion in football in recent years, they could work perfectly for Villa this summer.
Many clubs in the Premier League are going into the summer with PSR issues, and an easy way to evade these restrictions is by finding small loopholes, such as this.
This way, both clubs get players they want either in or out, and everyone leaves happy.
Going into the summer, deals such as these need to be looked at by Villa to help them remain competitive in the top half of the Premier League.