Manchester City are reportedly being linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey. The 22-year-old has been at the German club since 2017, and has impressed with his performances over the last few seasons.
As per Daily Mail, City, along with Chelsea and Manchester United, are interested in signing the Jamaican international.
Pep Guardiola could reportedly secure the signing of Bailey for a fee of around £40 million. Bailey’s current deal with Leverkusen expires in three years.
So far this season, Bailey has played 29 times for Bayer Leverkusen in all competitions, scoring 7 times and mustering up 3 assists in the process.
Leon Bailey to Manchester City – Ideal replacement for Sane?
Leon Bailey is an exciting player going forward, thanks to his agility with the ball at his feet as well as his superlative dribbling ability. The Jamaican predominantly plays off the left, and has a strong left foot, which has allowed him to be deadly from distance as well as set pieces.
The 22-year-old is a player that can get the fans off their seats with his flair in attack. Manchester City could use a player like a Bailey in their squad for next season. Guardiola recently confirmed that Leroy Sane will be leaving the club in the transfer window as the club and the player side could not agree on a new contract.
With one year remaining on his contract, Sane will be allowed to leave for a fee in the summer transfer window.
Bailey has qualities similar to Sane, as he too is a player who likes to hug the touchline and use his burst of pace and dribbling to trouble defenders. He also likes to move infield to play through balls to his teammates or shoot on goal. Bailey would be a like-for-like replacement for Sane, and one who would add depth to the City squad.
Manchester City need to invest heavily in the summer to refresh their team to compete with Liverpool, who have run away with the league this season. Smart signings like Bailey could help them close the gap on Liverpool, and the talented youngster could blossom under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola.
