Aston Villa have been hindered this summer by the Premier League’s controversial Profit and Sustainability regulations, imposed prohibitively on Unai Emery’s plans this summer.
There’s no question that the focus is on returning to the Champions League and Emery crowning his era in the English Midlands with silverware, but that’s easier said than done.
Villa are into the Europa League, at least, having finished sixth last term, falling agonisingly short after a miserable and contentious loss at Old Trafford on the final day.
While the Premier League side have missed out on the bonanza that would have come through reprising their place in Europe’s elite competition, they have completed some shrewd signings, with Marco Bizot from Brest taking the number two spot between the sticks and the versatile Evann Guessand adding firepower across the frontline, having recently signed from OGC Nice.
Though another deal could yet be completed, it appears that much hinges on the future of Leon Bailey.
The latest on Leon Bailey's Villa future
The Athletic have confirmed that Bailey, 28, is in talks with Serie A giants Roma over a potential transfer away from Villa Park this summer.
The Jamaican winger only started 14 times in the Premier League last season as he struggled against injuries, which punctuated his campaign.
However, he was electric the term before, racking up 19 goal contributions across the top-flight campaign, and it’s clear that more quality is needed to ensure that Emery has enough firepower to tackle multiple fronts once again this year.
And should Roma secure their quarry, it appears the Villans have already lined up the perfect replacement.
Villa join race for Bailey replacement
According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, Aston Villa are ready to join the race for Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu, should Bailey complete his potential move to Roma in the coming weeks.
The 21-year-old Fatawu suffered an injury-hit 2024/25 season but managed to showcase his quality across the smattering of fixtures he appeared in.
Everton have also been reported to have a vested interest in the speedy winger, so Monchi and co will need to ramp up the gas if they hope to get this one over the line.
Why Emery wants Abdul Fatawu
Leicester signed Fatawu from Sporting Lisbon last summer after he played an instrumental role in achieving promotion from the Championship in 2023/24.
An athletic, pacy and combative winger, Fatawu has the perfect skill set for the Premier League, and given that he has burst onto the scene in the second tier, he could prove to be Villa’s next version of Morgan Rogers.
The ice-cold attacking midfielder was one of Aston Villa’s biggest success stories from last season, notching 30 goal contributions across all competitions as he played a crucial role in making Emery’s system tick. The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell had described him as a “machine” of an attacking midfielder for his labours.
However, he’d previously completed 61 matches in the Championship, and it’s for this reason that Villa could repeat their own trick by signing Fatawu from the King Power Stadium this summer.
Remarked by talent scout Jacek Kulig to have been “simply unplayable” at times across the 2023/24 Championship season, it’s regrettable from a Leicester standpoint that Fatawu was cruelly ruled out for the lion’s share of last season, especially when he showed great promise across his few outings in ther Premier League.
In fact, even though Fatawu has struggled for fitness over the past 12 months, he still ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe for progressive carries, the top 1% for successful take-ons and the top 15 for tackles won per 90 too, via FBref.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
Indeed, looking at the Ghanaian’s performances across the past two years, you begin to see why Emery is invested in striking a deal over the next couple of weeks, adding not just creativity to his side but also some muscle and energy to his right flank too.
Matches (starts)
40 (33)
11 (6)
Goals
6
0
Assists
13
2
Shots (on target)*
1.9 (0.4)
1.2 (0.5)
Pass completion
80%
68%
Big chances created
32
2
Key passes*
1.7
0.5
Dribbles*
2.3
2.6
Ball recoveries*
3.7
3.5
Tackles + interceptions*
2.0
2.3
Duels (won)*
6.1
7.6
And though he’s only played once in the Championship this season, Sofascore also record that the rising prospect completed six dribbles and won a whopping 12 duels, underscoring his one-of-a-kind physicality.
This level of completeness at such an early stage of his career emphasises a likeness to the 23-year-old Rogers, for the England international won 4.7 duels and made 1.2 tackles per game in the Premier League last season, as also recorded by Sofascore.
But with a potent attacking threat at the forefront of his game, it’s clear that Rogers could find himself mimicked by Fatawu, should the Ghanaian succeed in earning his big move after two years with Leicester which have shown potential but seen him spiral back into the Premier League after frustration last season.
Given that Rogers also created 16 big chances in the top flight last term, partnered with his preferred position existing in the centre or out on the left, there’s no reason why Fatawu and Rogers could not cohabit in Emery’s starting line-up over the coming years, each sharing similar skills but bearing their own tactical identity.
Whether Aston Villa manage to pull this one off remains to be seen, especially since Everton remain hopeful that they can strike a deal themselves.
But without a doubt, this is the kind of shrewd signing that could bear dividends in the long run, and if Bailey’s chapter in England truly is at an end, there are few better replacements currently on the market.