Aston Villa agree £21.6m deal to sell Leon Bailey to Roma | OneFootball

Aston Villa have reached an agreement in principle with Serie A giants Roma for the sale of winger Leon Bailey (The Athletic).

The Villains agreed a deal worth up to £21.6 million after days of negotiations. Bailey will initially join Roma on loan before a potential permanent transfer.

Roma will pay Aston Villa a loan fee of around £2.6m and cover the Jamaican international’s wages in full for the duration of the agreement.

Crucially, the deal includes an option for Roma to make the transfer permanent from Villa for £19m next summer.

Earlier discussions had centred on an obligation to buy, but Villa and Roma settled on an optional clause after extended talks.

Bailey is set to fly to Rome on Monday evening before undergoing a medical on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old was notably absent as Villa drew 0-0 with Newcastle United over the weekend.

He has been training away from Unai Emery’s first-team group while negotiations were ongoing between Villa and Roma.

His father has been in the Italian capital helping to broker the agreement. The move brings an end to Bailey’s stay at Villa Park.

Signed from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, the winger was initially hailed by then-Villa boss Dean Smith as a ‘hugely exciting young striker’.

Bailey made 38 appearances for Aston Villa in all competitions last season, registering two goals and four assists.

While Bailey offered flashes of brilliance in Villa colours, injuries and inconsistency prevented him from becoming a mainstay in Emery’s system.

Villa have already acted in the transfer market to cover his departure, bringing in Evann Guessand to bolster their wide options.

They will bank a healthy windfall if Roma activate the £19m purchase option.