Leon Bailey to Join AS Roma on Loan From Aston Villa

AS Roma have agreed with Aston Villa to take Jamaican player Leon Bailey on loan for one year. Roma can buy him for €22 million at the end of the loan. This move comes as Roma look to strengthen their attack, with reports indicating that they want Bailey to provide more speed and creativity in their gameplay.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Roma will pay Aston Villa €2-3 million for the 28-year-old winger. Bailey will go to Rome tonight for medical tests before joining the Italian club. If the move becomes permanent, the total cost will rise to €25 million. Unai Emery, Aston Villa’s manager, has confirmed that Leon Bailey is unavailable for the Premier League opener against Newcastle, illustrating that he is indeed set to move to Italy. Reports say he only wanted to join Roma and turned down other clubs that showed interest.

WHY ROMA MADE THE MOVE

Roma wanted more speed and creativity. Last season, Bailey scored 3 goals and made 4 assists in 1,950 minutes over 38 games for Aston Villa, illustrating his value on the pitch. He joined them in 2021 and played a significant role with almost 2,000 minutes across 32 games. After finishing fifth in Serie A last season, just two points away from Champions League qualification, they want to bolster their squad to compete for the top spots. Their attacking players include Paulo Dybala, Matias Soule, Tommaso Baldanzi, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Stephan El Shaarawy. Following a failed deal for Jadon Sancho, Roma shifted their focus to Bailey.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Bailey will do his medical tests and, if all is well, he will sign this week. Roma play Bologna next, both looking for their first win in their first match of the season. Roma hope Bailey will give them more options in attack right away, and if he performs well this season, they can secure a long-term agreement. Aston Villa, who finished sixth in the Premier League last year, are preparing for life without Bailey, as they anticipate the transfer will be completed before the window closes.