Chelsea Set For Bidding War With Arsenal For Bundesliga Star Leon Bailey

Chelsea will go head to head with Arsenal in a £30million January transfer window battle for Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey.

The 20-year-old, born in Jamaica, has set the Bundisliga alight this season with eight goals in 16 games for Leverkusen after joining them from Genk in the summer in a £12.4m deal.

Chelsea have been tracking Bailey for some time and were close to making a move for the youngster last season, but have reportedly recently had a £22m offer rejected by the German club.

Arsenal scouts watched Bailey twice last week as he scored twice in a 4-4 draw with Hanover, and they also saw him score the winning goal at Borussia Monchengladbach that took Leverkusen into the German Cup quarter-finals.

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.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte wants reinforcements all along his front line, but Bailey's ability to find the net regularly even when playing in a wide position is a key factor in their interest.

Bailey made a name for himself in his two-year stint at Genk.

The 20-year-old made 77 appearances, scored 15 goals and produced 21 assists.