Leon Bailey, currently on loan at AS Roma, is at the center of negotiations for his future. Aston Villa, the club that owns his contract, failed to finalize a permanent transfer deal, which was supposed to happen during the summer break. After Hull City pulled out of the deal, Bailey's agent, Craig Butler, revealed that they are still in talks with several clubs for the player's future.
"We're in the middle of negotiations with several clubs and we're considering our options, " Butler told the Jamaica Observer. "Hull is a very good club and are very interested, but there are details that need to be worked out."
Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic described the situation as a 'mess'. 'I don’t know, right now, what’s happening there. It is a little bit, I think, [a] mess. I can say it like this. If we need to beg somebody to join us, to play for Hull City [in the] Premier League, it’s better to stay, don’t come.
‘If you don’t feel this club, that you can help us, that you can sacrifice for the team - not just Leon Bailey, I speak now overall in general. It’s better to stay with your club and we will try to find somebody else. What I know today - it’s off. But also, it was off three weeks ago and it was again on [later].’
Jakirovic also revealed that Hull City are speaking with a lot of players as they prepare their squad for the start of the Premier League season. 'For me, it is a little bit difficult because the market is going too slow, ' he said. 'Like every head coach I would like to have my team at the beginning of pre-season but it is not possible. I know it is difficult but we are working a lot and speaking with a lot of players. The players are a little bit crazy because agents, players, clubs want a lot of money but we are trying to find balance. We have signed seven players so far and another two today or tomorrow - defenders. We are also looking for three or four in positions that we need and I hope we will be successful in that.'
