Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Face Leon Bailey Battle in Latest Rumours

Chelsea will reportedly face serious competition from Arsenal if they want to sign Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen.

According to Tony Banks of the Daily Express, the Gunners are ready to step up their interest in the winger and have been watching him closely in recent matches against Hannover 96 and Borussia Monchengladbach.

"Arsenal want Bailey as an extra wide man after losing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool in the summer, and with Theo Walcott's future at the Emirates growing increasingly uncertain," Banks wrote.

Interest from Chelsea is also noted in the piece, with Blues manager Antonio Conte also said to be keen to add another option in attack. It's suggested the Premier League champions have already seen a £22 million bid knocked back, with Bayer valuing the 20-year-old at closer to £30 million.

The Bayer Leverkusen Twitter account recently offered us a reminder of how devastating their No. 9 can be on the counter:

Bailey only made the move to Leverkusen from Genk in the summer, but the impact he's made has been remarkable. These numbers from Scouted Football show just how productive he has been:

Alongside the likes of Julian Brandt, Kevin Volland and Kai Havertz, Leverkusen have one of the most exciting setups in the Bundesliga. They currently sit in fourth place.

While the other trio are all canny in their movement and mainly about close control, Bailey brings a raw edge to the attack. Whether deployed on either flank, the Jamaican is always looking to run at defenders, get crosses into the box and unleash shots at goal.

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As the aforementioned numbers illustrate, in the main he's successful. While there are still green facets to his game, Bailey is a fine technician and someone able to make smart choices when carrying the ball at speed.

Per German football journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt, he is already being talked about in high esteem in Germany despite playing just 14 top-flight games for Leverkusen:

It's unsurprising links have followed as a result. Bailey showed promise during his time in Belgium and is now living up to that after taking a step up at Leverkusen. It's an exciting development path.

In the Premier League, it would be fascinating to see how he would get on. At Arsenal, there would potentially be a greater scope for minutes; as mentioned, Walcott may follow Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the exit door, while Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez both have contracts set to expire at the end of the season.

Chelsea, by contrast, have a lot more depth, with Willian, Pedro and Eden Hazard competing for starting spots behind a central striker.

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Regardless, Bailey would be taking a gamble moving in midseason. His start to life in the Bundesliga has been blistering and the hype around him is warranted. But there's still a lot for the Jamaica under-23 international to learn.

A January move for big money would potentially put a lot of pressure on Bailey, especially if his chances to play are limited. For now, he and Leverkusen will surely decide staying put is the best course of action.