Leon Bailey: Unai Emery has to give Aston Villa star one last chance to shine in Fulham showdown 

Leon Bailey has become a forgotten figure at Aston Villa in recent months.

The winger has only played in nine Premier League matches to date this season, and rarely, if ever, starts.

This has led to claims that he will be moved on in the summer, with Unai Emery clearly not valuing his ability anymore.

However, with Fulham on the horizon this weekend, a return to the starting XI should happen.

While an Aston Villa victory would take them one step closer to Champions League qualification, rotation to the squad could be a benefit in the long run.

Leon Bailey should start for Fulham vs Aston Villa

While a victory for Villa would put them on the brink of qualifying for the Champions League, Emery should not view this game as a priority.

Barring a massive collapse, the Birmingham outfit will achieve this regardless of whether they beat Fulham or not.

Instead, Emery should focus his resources on the Europa League and their upcoming semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest on Thursday.

This is a massive chance to finally end Villa’s long wait for another major trophy, something that has been ongoing for decades.

While Forest are well below them in the league, it will still be a tough game, especially at the City Ground.

Therefore, Emery should rest as many players as possible against Fulham, allowing others, such as Bailey come into the starting XI.

Will Bailey leave Aston Villa in the summer?

Football Insider has exclusively revealed that Aston Villa will accept any suitable offers for Bailey this summer.

Emery simply does not see a long-term future with the Jamaican international and wanted to offload him permanently.

The Villans initially loaned the Jamaica international out to Roma before recalling him in January, but sources say that Emery only took that decision in order to ensure that his team had sufficient depth to maintain their push for Champions League qualification.

Bailey is currently contracted until 2027, meaning any fee Villa get for the winger is likely to be low.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen who opts to sign the Aston Villa star in the upcoming transfer window if any club comes in for him at all.

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