Leon Bailey’s involvement for Aston Villa against Newcastle United on Sunday has effectively ended Ajax’s hopes of signing the winger.

The wide player had been sent out on loan to Italian heavyweights Roma for the season, but after struggling to make an impact in the Italian capital, the Giallorossi terminated the deal early and sent him back to Villa Park.

Uncertainty has surrounded the 28-year-old’s future, with Ajax reportedly monitoring the situation and considering a move, according to Dutch outlet FCUpdate.nl. However, those plans have now been shelved after Unai Emery introduced Bailey from the bench during Aston Villa’s 2-0 away victory over Newcastle United.

Having already featured for Roma earlier in the campaign, Bailey is ineligible to represent a third European club this season. Although he played just over 30 minutes at St James’ Park, that appearance was enough to officially rule out a switch to Ajax.

As a result, the Amsterdam-based club must now adjust their transfer strategy and quickly identify another winger, with time running out in the window.

Bailey has long been admired by Ajax’s recruitment staff. Back in 2013, former director of football Marc Overmars publicly acknowledged the club’s interest in the promising winger. A move never materialised, though, and Bailey instead developed at Slovakian side Trencin before earning a transfer to Belgian club Genk.

Ajax revisited their interest in 2022, when they considered Bailey as a potential replacement for Antony following his sale to Manchester United.

While Antony has struggled to justify his price tag at Old Trafford, Bailey has also found it difficult to consistently reach the expected level during his time at Aston Villa.

Should Ajax remain keen on signing Bailey, they will now have to wait until the summer transfer window to make another attempt.