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Everton lose out on Bailey – is this the new reality

By Matt Townsend

Jamaica's Leon Bailey jumps for the ball during the Gold Cup Prelims football match between Jamaica and Suriname at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on July 12, 2021. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
Jamaica's Leon Bailey jumps for the ball during the Gold Cup Prelims football match between Jamaica and Suriname at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on July 12, 2021. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) /
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So Aston Villa are about to sign Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey a player long linked with a move to Goodison Park. So does this represent a new sobbering reality for Everton?

It’s certainly a bit depressing to see another club snap up a talent that Everton have been supposedly tracking for a long time.

The Toffees have signed a winger from the German club, that of course was Demarai Gray who has been showing promising signs so far during the pre-season tournament in the Florida Cup.

Bailey is a very good player and one who would have significantly upgraded the Toffees attacking potential had he come to Merseyside. It would have been great to see them both together again in a royal blue shirt next season.

But it looks like it’s not to be and so Bailey will be instead wearing the claret and blue of Villa when the new campaign starts in two weeks time.

So what does this situation say about the Blues new financial position and the consequences in terms of possible transfer dealings.

We’ve known for a while that Everton are facing the combination of big spending in the past few years together with a bloated squad and huge wage bill and then the Covid fallout.

This has left the club very close to breaking Financial Fair Play rules and facing possible fines or even European bans.

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I’ve talked before about this whole situaiton and how the Toffees might deal with it but it does look as though the board aren’t willing to risk falling foul of those rules.

That has meant some very frugal spending so far with Asmir Begovic and Demarai Gray added for very little money and Andros Townsend arriving on a free.

All three have been solid enough additions but they aren’t exactly the most exciting and Evertonians have been asking themselves whether the days of competing for the big money signings are over.

The Blues are apparently still looking for another wide player to add to the options out wide and Bailey would have been perfect to add to the ranks.

While the Jamaican forward won’t be joining Everton lets hope the club’s financial problems won’t prevent them still competing for top talent in this transfer window. Well we will see if this happens again as the window continues for the rest of this month.

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