Unai Emery not blessed with options but Leon Bailey persistence must not continue at Aston Villa
Unai Emery has some sympathy at Aston Villa with the financial rules hampering him from having many options to choose from off the bench.
The Spaniard’s side looked dull once more as they lost 1-0 to Fulham over the weekend, but their position in the Champions League places appears to be unharmed.
Financial issues at Villa Park were evident when Donyell Malen departed to join Roma on loan with a purchase option, and his replacement? Leon Bailey returning on loan the other way.
It is a move that has since backfired in more ways than one. The Dutchman is flying in Italy while Bailey has struggled to make an impact.
However, despite the lack of options, Emery must resist the urge to play Bailey in Aston Villa’s remaining games, as he has been well off the pace.
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Where does Leon Bailey go from here?
Since returning from AS Roma, Bailey has yet to score for the Villans and has delivered just one assist in 10 appearances.
Overall, the return has been far from successful.
| Leon Bailey – Premier League and Serie A stats combined this season | Total |
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 1 |
| xG | 0.47 |
| Big chances created | 0 |
Additionally, when on the pitch, Bailey looks far below the quality required in the Premier League, and the decision to continuously utilise him simply baffles.
In both Serie A and the Premier League, the Jamaican international has not been involved in any big chances.
He has not created any nor had the chance to score or miss one. In matches, he is simply coasting by out on the wing and having little to no impact. He has been a passenger in games.
Against Fulham, his cameo was extremely poor. He made just 11 touches and lost possession on five occasions. He also ended the match with zero per cent success in dribbling.
Ahead of next season, Villa may have Ben Broggio to replace Bailey in the squad, but shipping him out represents a totally new issue for the Villans.
Why Aston Villa will struggled to get rid of Leon Bailey
Bailey has just one year left on his contract, but after the B6 outfit already tried to get rid of him last summer and could only find a loan deal, it will be tough to move him off the books this campaign.
The Villans could seek to send him out on loan again, with a significant portion of his £120,000 per week wages covered by the side signing him.
However, performances in Serie A and the Premier League have undoubtedly made him a less attractive option.
The reality is that Emery may end up being stuck with Bailey, and officials at Villa Park are simply waiting for his contract to end.
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