Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey is said to be close to signing a new long-term deal at the club, with a verbal agreement reached between the two parties.
Things are falling into place for Aston Villa and Unai Emery, with the good news set to continue away from just on the pitch.
As reported by renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, winger Leon Bailey is well poised to sign a contract extension at Villa, with a verbal agreement said to be agreed with only the paperwork left to sign.
The news will thrill fans at Villa Park, who have seen the best version of the Jamaican this season, with his current form seeing him average a contribution to a goal every 78 minutes.
How important Leon Bailey has been to Aston Villa this season?
It took Bailey a while to convince Emery that he was worthy of a spot in the starting XI at the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign, as the manager considered his options following the winger’s inconsistencies last term.
In the 2022/23 calendar, the £25m former Bayer Leverkusen star netted only four goals and claimed four assists in the Premier League, a record that he has already demolished this season.
Having scored seven goals and recorded six assists, the winger is finally producing his best in Emery’s fluid front line, with his fine curling strike on Saturday epitomising his confidence at present.
As well as being a presence that the manager cannot ignore, Bailey has established himself as one of the most dangerous wide players in the league, reinforced by his average of 0.62 non-penalty goals per 90 this term, a decimal that no other winger in the top-flight can match.
Speaking on Sky Sports, former Villan and pundit Lee Hendrie praised the 26-year-old’s “big impact” in performances of late, highlighting why a new contract has been offered to him.
Romano added that a ‘salary rise’ and ‘longer contract’ has been verbally agreed between Villa and Bailey’s representatives, in what could prove to be an imperative piece of business by the club if his form is to continue.
It is really encouraging news for Unai Emery
When Villa sold academy graduate Jack Grealish to Manchester City for a profit of £100m, it was a transaction that was waiting to happen, something that cannot be said to the nature of future business now at the club.
Rewinding back to October 2022, Douglas Luiz committed his future to Villa after a move to Arsenal was rejected, with Ollie Watkins following suit the following October by committing to Emery’s project.
With Bailey’s deal all but done, there is a sign of changing times at Villa Park, with the Spaniard making the club a place to be, rather than a stepping stone for bigger things.
