Summary Ollie Watkins could be leaving Aston Villa soon as AC Milan has shown interest in him, with talks already in progress. Aston Villa may consider bringing in central midfielder Dani Ceballos as he is no longer part of Real Madrid's plans. Aston Villa is eyeing Athletic Club star Nico Williams as a potential signing in the January transfer window, which could mean uncertainty for winger Leon Bailey's future at Villa Park.
Aston Villa have now been provided with a transfer update involving winger Leon Bailey, which hints his long-term future at the club could be in doubt.
What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?
Villa may be rocked by a departure in the near future, as it has now been revealed that Ollie Watkins has emerged as a transfer target for AC Milan, and talks have already been opened with intermediaries, although they are still in the "embryonic stage."
In terms of potential arrivals, the Villans may look at bringing in central midfielder Dani Ceballos, who has been followed by Unai Emery for a long time, with it now becoming clear that he is no longer part of Carlo Ancelloti's plans at Real Madrid.
One of Emery's main targets is likely to be Athletic Club star Nico Williams, who is free to negotiate a deal with a new club in the January transfer window, at which point his contract will have less than six months left on it before expiry.
Aston Villa are one of several sides set to "insist" on signing Williams, and the winger's arrival could pave the way for a first-team player to leave, with Jones now hinting that Bailey's long-term future at Villa Park may be in doubt.
The transfer insider has hinted the winger may need to start performing at a consistently high level if he is to avoid being replaced, with Villa keen to strengthen even further in attacking areas over the next few transfer windows.
In an interview with GiveMeSport, Jones said: “I mean this has to be the season for him to regularly deliver otherwise it’s going to be time to leave because Leon Bailey is always wanting to be a big part of something special, and I think being a bit-part won’t be enough for him.
“It’s tough because there’s so much competition at Aston Villa now in those positions that he likes to get into. And I think they will probably be more competition to come over the next year because they’re going to continue to try and recruit and get better.
“But it’s all on Leon Bailey now to step up. I can’t say that I’m completely convinced that he’ll become a key player for Aston Villa, but he’s shown flashes that he is brilliant. And Villa fans need to see that a little more regularly to be convinced.”
How many goals has Leon Bailey scored for Aston Villa?
After averaging one goal every four games in a Bayer Leverkusen shirt, the Jamaican has not been quite as prolific since joining Villa, having scored ten times in 61 appearances, although he has started performing better recently.
The 26-year-old has scored four goals in all competitions for the Villans this season, and he put in a particularly impressive display against Everton back in August, receiving a Sofascore match rating of 8.6, the highest of any player.
If Bailey continues to perform how he has been this season, then Villa may not need to strengthen in wide areas, but if there is a dip in form, then it will be worth thinking about signing Williams as a replacement, especially since the Spaniard will be available for free.