Leon Bailey will be back in Aston Villa colours as early as this weekend after the club decided to recall him from his loan spell at AS Roma. Aston Villa formally informed the Serie A side of the decision today following internal discussions led by head coach Unai Emery.
The move brings Bailey straight back into Villa’s first-team picture at a time when squad depth has become increasingly important. Emery recently reflected on Villa’s narrow home defeat to Everton, a result that highlighted the need for more attacking options.
Bailey’s return, shared by Fabrizio Romano’s official X account, also comes in the wider context of transfer movement between the two clubs. As reported by SoftFootball earlier this month, Aston Villa confirmed the departure of Donyell Malen to Roma, a deal that saw the Dutch forward make an immediate impact in Italy.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Leon Bailey will be available for Aston Villa already this weekend after the decision to recall him from Roma loan.
#AVFC informed Roma today after decision made with Unai Emery.
The Jamaican winger’s spell in Rome never truly took off. He suffered an injury during his first training session after arriving and struggled to regain full fitness throughout his time at the club.
Bailey featured in just 11 matches across all competitions, logging only 317 minutes and failing to score in Serie A. His lone standout moment was an assist in a Coppa Italia tie against Torino, but overall consistency proved elusive.
Roma’s evolving attacking plans also played a role. With the club exploring new forward options, including Malen, Bailey found himself slipping further down the pecking order. What was initially framed as a chance for regular minutes became a stop-start campaign, leading Roma to request an early termination of the loan agreement.
For Aston Villa, the recall marks a shift in strategy. Emery had previously suggested in early January that Bailey would remain in Italy for the season, but circumstances changed quickly. With fitness reports improving and fixtures piling up, Villa now believe reintegrating Bailey could offer short-term value.
Bailey is expected to be available for selection immediately, though his role will likely depend on how quickly he adapts back into Emery’s system. The coming weeks will determine whether this return becomes a fresh start or a brief stop before another decision is made.
