Aston Villa’s attempts to move on Leon Bailey and Evann Guessand took different turns on Tuesday.
The two forwards have been deemed surplus to requirements by Villa boss Unai Emery, and the club have been trying to find new homes for the pair this summer.
Bailey’s prospective move to newly promoted Premier League side Hull City has turned into an ordeal, with the deal appearing on one minute, then off the next.
The latest updates indicate the move has stalled once again. Hull manager Sergej Jakirović told BBC Humberside Sport the transfer has become “a bit of a mess”.
He explained: “If I have to beg someone to come to Hull, it's better they stay and we'll find someone else. Today it is off, but it was off before and on again”.
There had been rumblings that the move was being held up by the player. It is not difficult to connect the dots and guess that wages could be the issue.
If that is in fact the reason for the hold up, it is a bit surprising, as Bailey and his camp would surely have been under no illusions that moving to Hull would mean a significant pay cut.
The story being told earlier in the window was that he wanted to remain in England as he and his family were settled. Having just turned 29 and at a crucial point in his career, the opportunity to start consistently in the Premier League, as he would presumably do at Hull, would surely be appealing.
Whatever the specific reasons for the delay, this transfer saga may rumble on for a while yet.
In more positive news, Guessand looks to be closing in on a loan move to Crystal Palace, where he spent the second half of last season.
The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell reported on Tuesday evening that the move is advancing, although it is not yet finalised. The loan would include an option to buy, similar to the one that was inserted into the deal back in January, which was ultimately not triggered by Palace.
Guessand only joined Villa last summer from Nice, had hoped to impress in pre-season, but the £30m signing has been an odd fit in Emery’s system since he arrived and has not looked like the same player who scored combined for 20 goal contributions in Ligue 1 in the 2024/25 season.
Villa have already added two forward players in this window, signing Johan Manzambi for a fee which could reportedly rise to £59.5m with add-ons, and bringing in Alejandro Garnacho on loan from Chelsea, with an option to buy for £40m. These signings have led a summer of change at Villa Park.
It is no secret the club wants to address the right wing position this summer, and by offloading Bailey and Guessand, Villa should have the scope to do so. They have been connected to Brazilian winger Allan in recent weeks, the latest of a long list of forwards linked throughout the summer.
As long as Bailey’s deal drags on though, Villa may have to hold fire, which could make the acquisition of a new winger challenging if the Jamaican’s situation remains unresolved near the end of the transfer window.
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