Bayer Leverkusen winger, Leon Bailey has been advised upon to ignore Chelsea and Manchester United interests, by his teammate, Sven Bender. Both the Premier League outfits have been monitoring the starlet for some time and a transfer approach was in their summer plans.
Does this revelation spell trouble for both the player and Chelsea’s future?
Not necessarily. One could understand where Bender is coming from. Bailey’s name has been in the headlines for the entirety of only this season. At 20, he has exploded into the scene but still have a lot of development left in his professional career.
Finding a run of form and then disappearing into the noise and all the hype has happened time and time again in the world of sports and Bailey does not need to be another example. Any youngster’s best asset is regular minutes on the pitch and judging by the time Chelsea allow their rising talents, Bailey is better off in Germany.
The Blues have a plethora of European prospects on the payroll but refuse to give them any part of the first-team action. Charly Musonda spent a good 12-month spell on the Stamford Bridge benches and later had to find a different home in Celtic.
Just like the Belgian, 19 others are also spending time with different European outfits, either developing or just waiting to end their ties with the West London club. This style of operation is never suitable for young talents who are not proven in big stages just yet.
Sure, Bailey is a big name in Germany but how much of it can he replicate on a consistent basis? The 20-year-old has registered 11 goals and 5 assists in 27 appearances this season. His footwork along with the mercurial pace is what sets him apart from the herd.
But the Jamaican still needs to overcome a lot of obstacles. His deliveries in the final third need to improve as much as his finishing. From a distance, this might look like nitpicking but are just tiny details that eventually turn you into an impactful player.
Chelsea might be on the hunt for a winger but they can consider other prospects if Bailey is not available. The French league is currently being lit up by another left-footed starlet like Bailey who Antonio Conte can take a look into – Malcom.
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They could also reignite their interests in the Watford wide man, Richarlison. If Conte can convince Bailey to make the switch then well and good and if not, no need to panic.
