Leon Bailey has touched down in Rome to finalise his season-long loan move from Aston Villa to AS Roma, with the Italian side holding a €22 million option to make the deal permanent next summer.
The 28-year-old Jamaican winger, who joined Villa from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, has flown into the Italian capital and will undergo his medical before being officially unveiled as a Roma player.
The agreement includes a loan fee of €2/3m, with Roma also covering Bailey’s wages in full throughout the 2025/26 campaign.
Sports expert Fabrizio Romano revealed the information on his official X account and even shared a video of the player touching down in Rome.
Watch the video below:
Softfootball reported that earlier talks explored an obligation to buy, negotiations ultimately settled on a buy option worth €22m, giving Roma flexibility while securing a potential bargain if Bailey rediscovers his best form.
Bailey had made it clear that Roma was his preferred destination despite interest from Saudi clubs and Turkish giants Besiktas. His stance helped accelerate discussions, with his father also involved in talks in the Italian capital over recent days.
The winger, who signed a contract extension at Villa in February 2024 running until 2027, has struggled for consistent minutes under Unai Emery. Last season, he featured in 24 Premier League matches but managed only 14 starts, often used from the bench as Emery rotated his wide options.
Bailey was left out of Villa’s goalless draw against Newcastle last weekend and had been training separately while his future was being resolved.
For Aston Villa, the move frees up squad space and wages as Emery reshapes his side following a summer of significant outgoings, with Leander Dendoncker close to sealing a permanent exit to Real Oviedo and Alex Moreno also available for transfer.
Bailey is expected to complete his medical on Tuesday before officially joining his new teammates at Trigoria later this week.
