Why Tottenham should avoid spending big on Leon Bailey
According to Sky Sports, Tottenham have been credited with an interest in Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to play in the Premier League.
The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to PL rivals Everton on several occasions this summer. But, the North London giants have now joined the race to sign the Bundesliga star. (h/t Sky Sports)
As per the report, the Jamaican international is rated at around £40m by Leverkusen. But that asking price will need to come down for Tottenham to follow up their initial interest in the creative winger.
Profile
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Leon Bailey started at Phoenix All Stars in Jamaica, before earning a move to Austrian outfit USK Anif in 2011. He had a stint in Slovakia with AS Trencin, before signing for Belgian outfit KRC Genk. And, he was an instant hit in the Belgian top-flight.
The left-footed wide attacker made a big impression in the Europa League in 2016, which paved the way for a lucrative move across the continent to Bayer Leverkusen in January 2017.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a brilliant Bundesliga campaign in 2017-18, registering 9 goals and 6 assists in 30 appearances. Bailey has since struggled to reach similar heights, partly due to injuries. But, the Jamaican has continued to deliver quality performances in Germany.
Clocked as the quickest player in the Bundesliga (h/t Sky Sports), Bailey has registered impressive returns of 24 goals and 15 assists in 116 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen in all competitions.
Bailey is a real talent but not a priority for Tottenham
Make no mistake, Leon Bailey is a quality winger with loads of potential, as evident from his impressive numbers at Genk and Leverkusen. That makes him worth a massive outlay for any top club in Europe, considering that the Jamaican still has his best years ahead of him.
However, Tottenham are already well-stocked when it comes to their wide attacking options. The likes of Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura are very much among the division’s best. In addition, Steven Bergwijn has enjoyed a positive start to his career in North London following his move from PSV Eindhoven in January.
Erik Lamela’s influence might have waned over the years due to his lack of playtime and patchy injury record. But the Argentine international remains an experienced squad player capable of delivering the goods at the highest level. Furthermore, the Lilywhites have welcomed Gareth Bale back from Real Madrid.
Suffice to say, Tottenham need not make it a top priority to invest in a new wide player like Leon Bailey this summer. On the contrary, they should go all out in their pursuit of a back-up central striker to reduce the workload on Harry Kane.
The Lilywhites have enough depth on the flanks but the same doesn’t apply to their options in front of goal. It’s an issue that Jose Mourinho needs to sort out if he is to guide Tottenham to a top-four finish in the PL.
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Verdict
Leon Bailey is a player with immense potential and has three years left to run on his present deal at Leverkusen, who seem well within their rights to quote a £40m price tag for their prized asset.
Tottenham have resorted to effective low-cost signings like Joe Hart, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Matt Doherty to bolster their squad. Having said that, Bailey is not someone who should be an immediate priority for the Lilywhites, especially amidst pressing concerns in several other areas of the squad.
The attack is being bolstered by the imminent arrival of Gareth Bale and splashing big on Leon Bailey doesn’t seem to make sense at the moment.
