‘Weren’t clicking’ - Aston Villa’s £25m star opens up about ‘issues’ with Steven Gerrard

Leon Bailey has admitted he never got on with Steven Gerrard while hailing Unai Emery for saving Aston Villa career.

Signed by Dean Smith in 2021, the winger arrived with a fierce reputation and was partially tasked with plugging the gap left by Jack Grealish. Bailey joined from Bayer Leverkusen, with his pace and trickery making him tailor-made for the Premier League.

Villa were undergoing a transition period after losing their star player and the Jamaican, at £25million, was brought in alongside Emiliano Buendia and Danny Ings to bolster the frontline. However, a poor start resulted in Smith being sacked just 11 games into the campaign.

Gerrard was swiftly appointed and, although he steered Villa to safety, Bailey’s first-team chances proved limited. Another dismal start the following year saw the Liverpool legend dismissed just months after Bailey held showdown talks about his future.

Emery’s arrival has given the 26-year-old - and Villa a new lease of life. Bailey is now starring in their bid for Champions League football, with 23 goal contributions across all competitions.

Speaking to the Let’s Be Honest podcast, Bailey opened up about his turbulent relationship with Gerrard. He said: “I would say (my) best season in terms of contribution. I think I scored more goals in one season, the season before I went to Aston Villa.

“This season is my best season, in terms of contributions. I just got my foot on the ground in the right way and the coach came in and did a lot.

“The previous coach I had issues with the coaches. Things weren’t clicking. When the new coach came in, that’s where everything turned around for me. He helped me a lot to be where I am today. I just felt more comfortable, more confident and everything just felt like it should have been.”