Aston Villa have enjoyed a terrific start to the 2023/24 campaign and are currently competing to secure a spot in the Champions League for next season.
The Villans are fifth in the Premier League table and they could move up and into the top four with a victory over Tottenham Hotspur, who they travel to play on Sunday.
Unai Emery has masterminded a sensational rise for the club since he replaced Steven Gerrard in the dugout last year, having led the side to Europa Conference League football after less than one full season in charge.
The Spanish tactician may now be looking to go one better and qualify for the Europa League or Champions League for the 2024/25 campaign, which they are currently on course to do.
His work in the transfer market, alongside new sporting director Monchi, has helped Villa as the likes of Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby have hit the ground running in English football.
Diaby has produced three goals and three assists in 12 Premier League starts so far this season since his move from Bayer Leverkusen over the summer, and his form has kept Leon Bailey out of the starting XI for the majority of the campaign.
The Jamaica international, who has impressed when given the chance, has not been able to break into the side on a regular basis and his job could become harder if the club are able to land one of their reported targets – Jonathan Rowe.
Aston Villa transfer news – Jonathan Rowe
It was reported by TEAMtalk earlier this month that the Villans are one of a number of clubs interested in the exciting Norwich City winger ahead of the January transfer window.
Fellow Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also said to be eyeing up the Championship starlet as a possible target to bolster their respective attacks ahead of the second half of the season.
The report did, however, state that the Canaries want to keep hold of their academy product and that they would also like to tie him down to a contract extension. His current deal at Carrow Road is due to expire in 2025 but they have an option to extend that by a further 12 months.
There was no mention of how much it would take to tempt the EFL side to cash in on the England U21 international, who may be looking to follow in Emiliano Buendia's footsteps in making the transition from Norfolk to the Midlands.
Appearances
73
Starts
49
Goals
Nine
Assists
Eight
Big chances created
16
Key passes
91
The arrival of another talented wide player could make it difficult for Bailey to find regular minutes, as Rowe could come in as the dream heir to his position in the squad as someone who could compete with Diaby for a starting spot whilst also getting minutes in domestic and European cup matches.
Leon Bailey's Villa statistics
Former Villa manager Dean Smith swooped to sign Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £25m and failed to hit the ground running after his move from the Bundesliga.
The left-footed forward arrived in England off the back of an impressive nine goals and eight assists across 30 league matches for the German side during the 2020/21 campaign.
His first Premier League season ended with a return of one goal and two assists in 18 outings for the Villans, who brought in Gerrard to replace Smith before the turn of the year.
Bailey's form improved the following term as he racked up four goals and four assists in 33 top-flight appearances throughout the 2022/23 campaign. However, the winger underperformed in front of goal with an xG (Expected Goals) of 5.34 and missed four 'big chances' to add to his four-goal haul.
This term, the 26-year-old wizard has already plundered three goals and three assists in ten Premier League matches and is on course to smash his tally from the previous season, despite only having an xG of 1.91 so far.
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The talented attacker has also contributed with one goal and two assists in four Europa Conference League games, which shows that he can perform domestically and in Europe.
Bailey has stepped up and looks to be a useful squad option for Emery to call upon with his ability to be a scorer and a creator of goals for the side.
Jonathan Rowe's season in numbers
Rowe, however, could come in as a player with the potential to make an immediate impact on the pitch whilst also having time on his side to be a long-term prospect for the Villans if Monchi can orchestrate a deal for the gem.
He is six years younger than the current Villa forward and could, therefore, be his heir at the top end of the pitch, given his impressive form for Norwich so far this season.
England U21 manager Lee Carsley claimed that the 20-year-old magician is "in form" and his statistics for the Canaries under David Wagner back that claim up.
Rowe has racked up eight goals and two assists in 16 starts across all competitions for the Yellows, which includes seven goals and one assist, along with one penalty won, in the Championship.
He has also scored one goal in two matches for England, despite starting neither of those games, and this means that the young ace has 11 goal contributions in 16 starts for club and country this term.
The Norwich academy graduate, who produced one assist in 13 Premier League matches during the 2021/22 campaign, also caught the eye as a scorer at youth level.
Rowe plundered 12 goals in 31 U18 outings and 11 goals in 31 U21 clashes for the Canaries before he was able to establish himself as a regular first-team performer.
The 5 foot 8 magician is also a versatile attacker who is capable of being deployed in a multitude of roles. He has played in virtually every position across the attack but has played the majority of his games either off the left wing or down the middle as an attacking midfielder.
Emery could, therefore, utilise him as one of his two forwards or as one of the wider attacking midfielders in his current system, which is why he could be a dream addition for the club.
Monchi must now work to secure a deal for the EFL starlet as the talented whiz has showcased his potential to be an impressive goalscorer from an attacking midfield or wide position and could be a long-term heir to Bailey's, or even Diaby's, position in the squad.