TOTTENHAM have made contact with Aston Villa over Leon Bailey as they battle Manchester United for his signature, according to reports.
The struggling sides are keen to bolster their attacks before the January transfer window closes tonight.
And they identified the Villa winger as a suitable option.
Bailey, 27, is likely to drop down the pecking order at Villa Park following the arrivals of Donyell Malen and Marcus Rashford.
So he could be allowed to leave.
According to Fabrizio Romano, United and Tottenham called to find out whether Bailey would be available.
Tottenham was without forwards Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson for the trip to Brentford.
And Ange Postecoglou would love to bring in another option.
As for United, Bailey could provide competition for Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho in attack – although there is still a slim possibility Garnacho could leave before the 11pm cut-off.
Ruben Amorim desperately needs to bring in a goal threat.
He started Kobbie Mainoo up front in the defeat to Crystal Palace – a rogue experiment that failed – while Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are struggling.
And with Rashford and his 138 United goals out on loan, another target is wanted.
United and Villa have already been in recent negotiations over the Rashford deal, which will see the Midlanders cover 75 per cent of his £325,000-a-week wages and have the option to make the deal permanent for £40million in the summer.
However, Bailey is not a goalscorer.
He has just one strike in 29 appearances in all competitions this term – against Leicester’s leaky defence – and has three assists.
The Jamaica international started five of Villa’s eight Champions League group-stage matches.
In total, he has 21 goals in 135 games for Villa since his £25m arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021.
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