Football
Exclusive: Aston Villa Loanee Leon Bailey Facing Roma Exit but Determined to Stay in Italy
Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey wants to stay in Italy if his loan with Roma is terminated early. Roma boss Gasperini is set to end the deal as they plan to bolster their attack. Bailey's future at Villa Park looks uncertain as Girona show interest in offering him a loan move. Bailey's representatives are in contact with clubs in Italy and Germany for regular game time.
AS Roma v Como 1907 - Serie A by Image Photo Agency | Getty Images
Leon Bailey wants to remain in Italy if his Roma loan is terminated early, SportsBoom can reveal.
Sources in the Italian capital believe boss Gian Pierre Gasperini is on the verge of ripping up the Aston Villa winger’s deal.
The Jamaican international joined the Serie A outfit on loan with an option to buy for £19million in the summer.
But the 28-year-old has struggled since his move to the club after suffering an injury during his first training session.
Since then Bailey has seen his game time limited with just one league start for Gasperini's side.
With Roma planning on bolstering their attack, Bailey is expected to make way for new signings.
Roma remain keen on landing Atletico Madrid striker Giacomo Raspadori despite Juventus attempting to hijack the deal. The club also has a reported £20m agreement for Marseille forward Robinho Vaz.
Villa boss Unai Emery is adamant he wants Bailey to continue playing in Rome, but the decision is ultimately out of his hands.
It is understood there is not path back for the player, who joined the club in 2021, at Villa Park this season.
Girona have been credited with an interest in offering Bailey a loan move to stay in Italy.
Fall from Grace
And sources close to the player have told SportsBoom that Bailey’s representatives are in contact with a number of outfits in Italy and Germany, where the winger spent four and a half seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, to get him regular game time.
Bailey, a £25million signing, penned a four-year contract extension in the Midlands in 2023 with an option of a further year to keep him at the club until 2028.
During his time at Villa he has scored 22 goals in 144 games with his season-best tally of 14 strikes in 52 appearances in all competitions earning him his new deal before just two goals in 38 last term.
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