Leon Bailey celebrates after scoring a goal (Getty Images)
As per French journalist Man Lonjon (h/t The Sun), Leeds United have made an offer for Bayer Leverkusen star Leon Bailey ahead of the new campaign.
The report suggests that the Whites have identified the Jamaican as an alternative to Rangers star Ryan Kent, for whom they saw a £10m bid get rejected. However, they could face competition to secure the services of Bailey as he has been previously linked with moves to Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and Manchester City.
Born in Jamaica, he started his journey with Phoenix All-Stars Jamaica before joining USK Anif’s youth system in Austria. He then moved to Genk in August 2015 where he made 77 appearances, scoring 15 goals and providing 21 assists in the process. His stunning performances earned him a €15m to Leverkusen in January 2017.
He immediately integrated himself into the squad and became a key player for the German outfit. In his first full season with the club, he managed to rack up 12 goals and 6 assists and went on to score 5 goals in each of the following two league campaigns.
Though he struggled with injuries and was out of several fixtures due to suspension, he has proved to make a difference whenever the team needed him. The youngster has also been capped 6 times by Jamaica since making his debut in June 2019.
At the moment, only three wingers are available at Marcelo Bielsa’s disposal. Jack Harrison and Helder Costa were significant in the Whites’ Championship-winning campaign as they managed to rack up 10 goals and 14 assists between them last season. And the Portuguese international made his switch to Elland Road permanent last month.
However, Harrison has joined them on loan for another season but apart from the two, only Ivan Poveda is available as a backup in the wide areas. The English U20 international is inexperienced and cannot be depended upon throughout the campaign. Thus, Leeds should consider signing a winger in the summer.
In that regard, Bailey would be a smart addition to the squad. The Jamaican international has already proven himself at the top level despite his tender age. He has been in sensational form in the last couple of seasons but has struggled for game time under Peter Bosz.
He is just 22 and his inclusion to Bielsa’s squad would definitely add quality to their attack. He is adept at playing equally well on either flank and if he is able to continue with the fine form, he could go on to represent them in the long run.
With limited options in the wide areas, it is clear that Leeds are in dire need of wingers to bolster their attack. Bailey could provide them with some much-needed quality up front and also his knack of scoring goals could come in handy for the club in the Premier League. Thus, they should manage to lure the Jamaican to Elland Road before they begin their top-flight adventure.
