Fresh detail emerges over Aston Villa's 'imminent' contract agreement

Reports emerged earlier this week claiming Aston Villa were close to agreeing a new contract with key man Leon Bailey. The winger didn't initially shine after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021 on a deal worth more than £25million.

But his importance under Unai Emery has grown immensely, with Villa as a whole also kicking on under the Spaniard, now in the Champions League conversation as we head into the back-end of the Premier League campaign. Bailey has racked up 31 appearances across all competitions already this term, scoring 10 and assisting nine along the way.

With the 26-year-old out of contract in 2025, Villa have prioritised the deal, and reports emerged earlier this week claiming a new contract was on the verge of being announced. Football Insider have now produced a fresh report, claiming a 'huge' pay rise as well as an extension are part of the deal.

They say an announcement confirming the deal is 'imminent', and it follows up reports from elsewhere that discussions have been ongoing since December. Bailey reportedly earns around £100,000-per-week under his latest contract, and he is likely to be one of the biggest earners at Villa Park after his new deal. He will also join the likes of Ollie Watkins and John McGinn in committing their futures to the club amid what appears to be an exciting chapter under Emery.

Villa remain in European competition this season in the form of the Conference League, and they will be hoping to secure Champions League football for next season, or failing that qualification for the Europa League at a minimum.