Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has praised Leon Bailey’s adaptation and improvement, and revealed he’s close to signing a new contract.
The 26-year-old is starting to thrive under the Spanish tactician this season, as he’s scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 31 appearances across all competitions to establish himself as a pivotal figure in the line-up.
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It follows a difficult period for the Jamaican international following his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, with injuries and inconsistency limiting his impact under former bosses Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard.
However, there were clear signs of improvement and development in the second half of last season after Emery was appointed, and particularly so far in this campaign, Bailey is starting to play some of his best football since signing.
The challenge of course will be to not only maintain this level but to continue to improve and adapt to Emery’s demands and tactical ideas, but the Villa boss is evidently delighted with his approach and application thus far, and went on to confirm that a new contract is close.
“I spoke with him this year when we started pre-season about how we could improve different issues and things he wasn’t showing us in a consistent way. His reaction was fantastic,” he told the media, as per VillaTV. “I explained it to him. ‘No Leon, I want more. We need more of you. You have to be consistent and focus more than you are doing because it is not enough’. His commitment has improved and his focus working every day harder has improved.
“His way here, his skills, scoring goals, assists, improves. We decided more or less one month ago to extend his contract. We had to be very demanding with the players and if they want to increase their level and their demands like the team is doing, then it has to change.
“We spoke to him, he is happy here, happy in Birmingham and Aston Villa. He is working progressively better. The idea is for him to extend the contract and we are close. I think he is going to signing.”
It’s a deserved reward for Bailey given the way he’s levelled up and become a more influential player for us this year, and with his current contract expiring in June 2025, a decision over his future was needed either way heading into this summer.
Naturally, the hope is that he can continue to be decisive between now and the end of the season with his future potentially secured imminently, but it’s absolutely fundamental that he strives to become an even better version of himself in the coming months and years to continue to help make us increasingly competitive on multiple fronts.
A whole host of Villa players have benefitted from Emery’s arrival given the turnaround he has overseen over the last 14 months, and it’s hoped that those who are perhaps still struggling or have room for improvement can follow the path set by Bailey and others to continue to drive up the level of quality in this squad.
