Bailey's agent: Real Madrid and Chelsea have asked about Leon's lack of playing time
Leon Bailey's agent and stepfather, Craig Butler, takes a swipe at former Leverkusen coach Heiko Herrlich and claims the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea have asked him about the winger's lack of playing time.
Bayer Leverkusen star Leon Bailey has struggled to reproduce the performances he delivered in his impressive 2017/18 season and fell down the pecking order under Heiko Herrlich during the first half of this season.
According to Craig Butler, Bailey's agent and stepfather, a number of top clubs reached out to him as they wondered why the 21-year-old wasn't playing more under Herrlich who has now been replaced by Peter Bosz at Leverkusen.
"I was contacted by top clubs. Real, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, AS Roma. They were all surprised that Leon didn't play more in recent months. They wondered why one of the top players of the league was suddenly sitting on the bench," Butler said in an interview with Sport Bild and added:
"The experience with Heiko Herrlich wasn't good. He never told Leon why he played less."
Bailey himself has said that he's pleased that he'll now be playing under Peter Bosz instead, and Butler hopes that the winger will be able to enjoy football again with the Dutch coach at the helm.
"I'm very happy that this change has taken place. Leon didn't develop at all under Heiko Herrlich," Butler told Sport Bild and went on:
"For Leon, it's very important that he enjoys football. The family is in Jamaica. If Leon doesn't have fun, it drags him down."
Bailey has made 23 appearances this season, scoring once and making five assists. He has been in the starting eleven 12 times.