Leon Bailey’s explosive interview: Aston Villa future, Chelsea links & Bayern Munich regret

Leon Bailey has spoken out on a whole host of hot topics during a podcast appearance, including speculation surrounding his future at Aston Villa. Spending an hour in conversation with the host of Let’s Be Honest, Jaii Frais, the Jamaican international didn’t hold anything back.

Heavily linked with the likes of Liverpool, Ajax and Bayern Munich in the past, Bailey has recently been the subject of reported interest from Chelsea. The winger has been one of the very few standout players this season, as Villa’s disappointing start to the campaign has fallen well below expectations.

Bailey has made a real improvement from his performances last term, with three goals and two assists in 14 Premier League matches - far better than the three direct goal involvements he made in the entirety of 2021/22 under Steven Gerrard. His upturn in form has caused Graham Potter’s Blues to circle, but Bailey has other ideas.

“You don’t want to go and live in London,” Bailey told Let’s Be Honest. “The London lifestyle is fast and you can be distracted easily because every day there’s something to do. Aston Villa [meanwhile], a big club with a big history, top facility, fanbase... the right city as a professional.”

Bailey hasn’t been short of opportunities to make big moves in his career and the 25-year-old was honest when it came to a conversation about the events of the summer transfer window this year. “You know something, I could’ve left Aston Villa,” Bailey said. “Even after that bad season I could’ve left for a bigger club. But you know what, it’s me that said I wanted to stay!

“I’m going to stay for a long time because I want to make a show of [those] who called me an idiot. I’m going to show what I’m really capable of. Sometimes there’s unfortunate situations but that’s what built me as a person. I like challenges and this year I’m doing my thing. Now look.”

Lots of expectation followed the forward after he arrived at Villa Park from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee in the region of £30 million in August 2021. He nearly made an even more significant move earlier in his career, though, and one that would’ve brought about even more pressure.

“I could have made a big move to Bayern Munich,” Bailey revealed. “Bayern came to my house to sign paperwork and all of that [but] Leverkusen were never going to let me go. They said Bayern would have to pay over 100 million. Bayern wanted me to replace Arjen Robben and Leverkusen never answered.

“When I left I was 23. These big clubs want young, talented players and they will spend money, but [going to Villa instead] was my way of getting into the Premier League. Lots of other clubs wanted me but I did my homework and my research because I wanted to be in a proper environment.

“Villa, when they approached me, they wanted to make steps. They spent a lot of money and they wanted to play European football. I believe in that and I still really do believe that we will play in Europe. Even if I’m giving up Europe for a year or two, I don’t mind because I’m still playing football at the highest level in the biggest league in the world.”