Premier League transfer news: Aston Villa reach agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for Leon Bailey

Aston Villa are close to completing the signing of Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen after the Premier League club announced an agreement with the German Bundesliga outfit for the Jamaica international.

Bailey, 23, has played a key role at BayArena since his arrival from KRC Genk in 2017 and was on the radar of many European clubs before the Villans swooped in for the talented wide man with an announcement seemingly close.

“Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen have reached an agreement for the transfer of Leon Bailey subject to the player completing a medical and finalizing personal terms,” read a brief official statement from Villa.

The news comes as speculation reaches intense levels that the Birmingham giants’ talisman and captain Jack Grealish will join Manchester City in the coming week with an offer on the table for the England international as well as a possible contract extension at Villa Park.

Grealish, 25, was part of the England squad which went all the way to the UEFA Euro 2020 final this summer before defeat on penalties to Italy and his value has rocketed once again as Villa steadily improve in the English top-flight.

With or without Grealish, Bailey will offer Dean Smith’s men added pace and trickery in attack with a direct threat which could prove lethal when combined with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore, and summer signing Emiliano Buendia.

Ashley Young’s return to the club has brought experience while goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez helped Argentina to Copa America success this summer and John McGinn shone briefly with Scotland at Euro 2020.

Should Grealish complete a move to City, Villa could receive in the region of $140 million while a bumper new contract awaits if he pledges his future to his boyhood club as they look to qualify for Europe to cap a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for a club that came close to financial oblivion in 2018.

John Terry, another important figure in Villa’s turnaround, left his staff role earlier this week and is expected to move into management in the near future.