Butler sees Bailey as vital in Villa’s future

Adopted father and agent Craig Butler contends that Jamaica International Leon Bailey will be a vital player for Aston Villa after he signed a new three-year deal with English Premier League's Aston Villa with the option to extend for another year.

According to Butler, Bailey's poor start to life in England was because of injuries and taking the time to adapt to football in England, which he believes are now behind his player.

"Many times throughout this period, when Leon didn't perform at his best or got injured, many people would like to call him a flop. I remember standing up for him and saying, 'He will shine' and if you believe in someone, you never stop believing in them.

"He has adapted well, and I'm very proud of him. I think he will have a very instrumental role, he's a team player. He will score when he should score, and he will pass when he should pass. These are the lessons that we taught him as a youngster, and we're confident he will continue to contribute to his team," Butler said.

Aston Villa revealed Bailey's new contract on their social media pages in a series of posts about the forward, with his contract set to run through to June 2027, having the option for an extension to June 2028 should both parties agree.

"The story continues!" the club posted on Instagram. "Aston Villa is pleased to announce that Leon Bailey has signed a new contract with the club!"

Bailey has seen an impressive turn of form this season for the Birmingham-based Aston Villa, scoring 10 goals and getting nine assists in 33 appearances in all competitions.

This contrasts his first two seasons with Aston Villa following his transfer from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen.

Bailey would only find the back of the net once and supply two assists in his first season in England, having struggled with injuries that hampered his debut season. Last season, Bailey scored four goals and four assists.

Since then, Bailey has gone on to bag 16 goals and 15 assists in 87 appearances for Aston Villa.