A couple of days before Christmas, Bayer Leverkusen announced they’d be parting ways with manager Heiko Herrlich.
The club hadn’t been doing well in the Bundesliga and there was some frustration, a lot of which seemingly comes from Leon Bailey and the 21 year old’s stepfather Craig Butler.
Peter Bosz took over, and Bailey will hope he’s given more prominence. After eight starts and eight substitute appearances in the Bundesliga so far this season, a change to a regular starter will be expected.
Should that not come then it will be no surprise if Butler agitates for a transfer, and he’s made the situation clear in an interview with SportBild.
Butlet is quoted explaining he’s happy Herrlich has gone, and talking up interest from clubs including Chelsea: “I am very happy that this change has come about. Leon did not develop under Heiko Herrlich.
“For Leon it is very important that he enjoys football, he lives alone in Germany, the family is in Jamaica, and if Leon does not have fun, it kills him.
“Top clubs have come forward, Real and Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Roma, and in recent months they have been surprised that Leon plays so seldom, wondering why a top league 
player like him is suddenly sitting on the bench.”
Chelsea have been linked to Bailey endlessly, over a period of years and dating back to his time in Belgium. The youngster will certainly have to have a better second half of the season to justify transfer interest from the clubs named.
