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Leon Bailey: Aston Villa sign Jamaica winger for £25m from Bayer Leverkusen

Last updated on .From the section Aston Villacomments549

Leon Bailey
Bailey joined Bayer Leverkusen from Belgian side Genk in 2017

Aston Villa have signed winger Leon Bailey for £25m from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 23-year-old Jamaica international, who has scored 28 goals in 119 Bundesliga appearances for Leverkusen, has signed a deal until 2025.

"Leon is a hugely exciting young striker with great pace and creativity," said Villa boss Dean Smith.

"We are now looking forward to watching him show his skills and talents for Aston Villa in the Premier League."

Bailey becomes Villa's third signing of the summer after the arrival of Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City and Ashley Young from Inter Milan.

"For me, it's a great club with a big history and it's the right step for me. I'm excited to get started," said Bailey.

"It's always been somewhere that I've wanted to play. I feel like now is the right time and I'm excited about it.

"Hopefully, I can do what I do best and have a great season in the Premier League."

Meanwhile, Villa captain Jack Grealish is a £100m target for Manchester City.

Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

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549 comments

  • Comment posted by Keepmenutdaan, at 10:53 4 Aug 2021

    Southgate is over the moon that Jack is going to city, This will stop all the calls for him to be selected for England.

    No games, No selection headache

    • Reply posted by zuf, at 10:59 4 Aug 2021

      zuf replied:
      If Bernardo Silva leaves Grealish will play every game.

  • Comment posted by kevirl, at 10:16 4 Aug 2021

    At least the villa players are all showing up for training, professionals eh....

    • Reply posted by Ribble, at 10:27 4 Aug 2021

      Ribble replied:
      Yeah, about that...

  • Comment posted by Seahawks81, at 09:55 4 Aug 2021

    If Grealish stays, Villa look a very strong Top 8 side before further signings I expect them to make.
    Defensively Villa were good last season, kept a lot of clean sheets. With the added quality in midfield holding on to the ball Villa can certainly replicate the clean sheets and add goals. Great to see Villa entering a new season with confidence and a target of improving on the last campaign.

    • Reply posted by Liofa73, at 10:34 4 Aug 2021

      Liofa73 replied:
      But he’s not staying.

  • Comment posted by MrSnoreBore, at 09:45 4 Aug 2021

    Villa spending the Grealish cash before they receive it is the way to do business in the transfer market. Once clubs know you've received a £100m windfall, transfers prices tend to have a heavy sales premium added.

    • Reply posted by Booooooo, at 10:01 4 Aug 2021

      Booooooo replied:
      It's not a done deal yet...

  • Comment posted by over, at 12:01 4 Aug 2021

    Villa looking good for top 20 next season

    • Reply posted by Heinz57, at 12:59 4 Aug 2021

      Heinz57 replied:
      get back in your cot

  • Comment posted by BSG, at 10:21 4 Aug 2021

    If Villa can spend the money wisely - like Leicester have over the past 3-4 seasons - could be an interesting season for Villa.

    • Reply posted by SirDaz, at 10:45 4 Aug 2021

      SirDaz replied:
      The one thing that Smith doesn't do is spend money wisely. Long may it continue! They should have been down but had the camera turned off, they should have been hit by FFP rules, but snuck promotion... One can hope that karma will get them, but it never does.

  • Comment posted by Dad, at 09:36 4 Aug 2021

    Dear villa
    Can you score eight this season....
    That would be great.

    • Reply posted by Brass Eye, at 09:54 4 Aug 2021

      Brass Eye replied:
      Are you Bill Lumbergh in disguise ?

  • Comment posted by Brass Eye, at 09:47 4 Aug 2021

    The signing of Ashley Young is a bit misleading, surely he should be called Ashley Middle Aged or Ashley Pension Book.

    • Reply posted by SavvyConsumer, at 09:51 4 Aug 2021

      SavvyConsumer replied:
      At 36 I hope he's going to be the goalie!

  • Comment posted by Fin de Cloche, at 13:36 4 Aug 2021

    Villa looking good for next season; being realistic, they're still a long way off the title race, but a top half finish (and Europa League challenge) is doable.

    Great to see that Dean Smith is still in charge; after a couple of shaky spells previously, some clubs may have sacked him. I firmly believe managers given time to build their own squad and stamp their own mark onto it will be successful.

    • Reply posted by grungzilla, at 00:19 5 Aug 2021

      grungzilla replied:
      Well it’s it’s 3rd season now. He’ll be sacked or kept on this one

  • Comment posted by dms, at 11:59 4 Aug 2021

    If City sign Grealish for £100m and still hope to sign Kane they desperately need to sell. Sterling's days at the Etihad could be numbered.......

    • Reply posted by boris the liability with lie ability, at 12:05 4 Aug 2021

      boris the liability with lie ability replied:
      ha ha ha
      karma from anfield

  • Comment posted by Keepmenutdaan, at 11:41 4 Aug 2021

    The best thing about city buying Grealish is that it will shut up Trevor Sinclair and his "city dont spend big" & "city dont buy the league" comments

    • Reply posted by TheSardinian, at 12:46 4 Aug 2021

      TheSardinian replied:
      Every single club who's ever won a league title has ' bought it ', even Leicester are bankrolled by a family worth 5bn and spent money.

  • Comment posted by highbury81, at 13:09 4 Aug 2021

    Welcome to Villa Park, Leon. We've had some great wingers down the years (no not you Ian Ormondroyd) and the Holte End will give you 100% backing

    • Reply posted by Sport Report, at 18:33 4 Aug 2021

      Sport Report replied:
      Only 100%? I would have expected 110% as a minimum.

  • Comment posted by riskfan, at 10:51 4 Aug 2021

    He is great on Football Manager so is 100% going to light up the prem ;)

    • Reply posted by margaret, at 12:00 4 Aug 2021

      margaret replied:
      I'm sorry, this guy is at best 5 out of 10 in every department, Bayern are laughing their socks off that they found mugs willing to pay mega bucks for him.

  • Comment posted by bribeaburger, at 15:10 4 Aug 2021

    I give Grealish 2 games at City before Souness or some other top 4 obsessed pundit say how much Grealish improved under PEP .

    • Reply posted by Digger, at 23:20 4 Aug 2021

      Digger replied:
      He will improve under Pep, but essentially it'll be because he's playing attacking football with elite players - it won't be St. Pep's doing, same as with Sterling. Put Chris Wood in that City team and he'd get 20 a season.

      Grealish is brilliant though, he'll show it when he's let off the leash and has more options. Great players play better with other great players, that won't be Pep's "genius."

  • Comment posted by Jeb, at 13:19 4 Aug 2021

    You have to laugh at Pep's "we can't afford a new striker". You can afford anything that your heart desires Pep as long as your bosses continue fiddling the numbers.

    • Reply posted by BlueStig, at 13:26 4 Aug 2021

      BlueStig replied:
      You have to laugh at MU fans, who whine about MC spending money, when their own Club spends more than any other.

  • Comment posted by Dobby, at 12:24 4 Aug 2021

    AV aren’t one of the odious self-appointed ‘Big 6’. C’mon Villa!

    • Reply posted by Its a clean kill but its not clean, at 13:17 4 Aug 2021

      Its a clean kill but its not clean replied:
      Why do they smell?

  • Comment posted by starsail1, at 11:33 4 Aug 2021

    Another great signing for villa.
    I wish spurs would sign a decent player.

    • Reply posted by Sport Report, at 18:45 4 Aug 2021

      Sport Report replied:
      That Harry Kane looks half-decent. Maybe they could get him.

  • Comment posted by wemarchon, at 20:09 4 Aug 2021

    £30 m for an injury prone player is a good deal for Saints. Not quite a top 4 club though 🤷🏼‍♂️
    It’s all about the money, money, money !

    • Reply posted by Redallover, at 20:21 4 Aug 2021

      Redallover replied:
      Liverpool will get around £2m for a sell-on clause. 20% of the difference of any fee over £20m. (20% of £30-£20m).

  • Comment posted by Slartibartfasts jockstrap, at 17:27 4 Aug 2021

    Sad to say it, but leaving Villa and going to City could be a win win for everyone but City. Is Grealish really 100mio better than anyone they already have. For Villa it's great business the players they're buying aren't as good but they'll strengthen the squad overall. Remember how the performances dropped off when Grealish was injured last season

    • Reply posted by Digger, at 23:17 4 Aug 2021

      Digger replied:
      His goals/assists/chances created stats are only equalled by De Bruyne (and in some Grealish has better) who plays with world class players in a team constantly in possession. So yes, he's far far superior to anything City have, barring KDB.

      No offence to Villa, but they don't have the calibre of player KDB plays with.

      I've got money on Grealish winning PFA POTY in 21/22 - he'll smash it.

  • Comment posted by Roy of the Rovers, at 13:17 4 Aug 2021

    Some interesting additions to the Villa side, improving every season, as every big club should. Can't see City signing both Kane and Grealish, but you never know. Personally I don't think Kane will leave Spurs and his antics are just for him to get a better deal by his agent. In the end it's all about more money, always has been. Expect him to return to training by the end the week.

    • Reply posted by Jeb, at 13:22 4 Aug 2021

      Jeb replied:
      My theory is that the contract Kane signed a couple of years ago had a gents agreement that Levy would let him go for "reasonable money" in a couple of years if Spurs don't win trophies. Now Levy is not playing ball and Kane isn't having it. I was surprised when Kane signed that new deal, surely there was some kind of clause/agreement.

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