Leon Bailey’s latest move receives thumbs-up as Aston Villa loan details emerge
Aston Villa look set to welcome back Leon Bailey after half a season on loan at Roma.
Bailey joined Roma in the summer with a temporary deal in place to get the Jamaica international off the books at Villa Park.
The winger was ultimately replaced when Villa signed Evann Guessand from OGC Nice and Jadon Sancho from Manchester United.
Guessand has struggled in a Villa shirt, as has the Red Devils loanee, so new options have been considered already in January.
Unai Emery could have the ideal alternative already on the cards, with Bailey looking set to leave the Italian capital come back to the Midlands.
Aston Villa could utilise Leon Bailey from January onwards
The 28-year-old has generally struggled for impact in Serie A, so a winter return has hardly come as a surprise.
It is more of a shock that Bournemouth are interested in signing Bailey as the Cherries line up a replacement for Antoine Semenyo.
Selling the wide man could be beneficial for the Villans’ finances if they look to add to their squad beyond Alysson’s introduction from Gremio.
That isn’t the thoughts of former Villa scout Bryan King, who believes Bailey could stick around in B6 and play a part under Emery this season.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, King said: “If his time is up at Roma, he has proven in the past that he’s been decent for Villa.
“He’s fallen out of favour, but if he comes back, it’s another body for the squad.
“It doesn’t look like many players will leave this window, so if he stays, he’ll be an asset for the squad.
“I’m not sure that the squad that Villa have needs new faces, it’s very settled and everyone seems to be in the same frame of mind.
“There’s no one causing problems or looking to leave, so if Bailey comes back, that’s fine.”
What impact could Bailey have at Aston Villa?
Everyone in B6 knows exactly what Bailey can do when he is at his best.
The 2023/24 season saw Villa qualify for the Champions League, with the Jamaican at the heart of everything good that season.
He scored some hugely important goals, with his strikes against Manchester City and Arsenal being particularly memorable that year.
If he can return from his Roma stint and reach even close to that level, Emery could have a much-needed fresh face in his squad.
Bailey would provide pace and a direct approach that could make a significant difference in the second half of the campaign.
It will be interesting to see how the winger is assessed at Bodymoor Heath and whether he is afforded a second chance in claret and blue.
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