Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts says he’s optimistic that Leon Bailey’s move to Italy will improve his levels as the Reggae Boyz seek to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Bailey, 28, will ply his trade in Serie A with AS Roma this season after joining on loan from English Premier League club Aston Villa.

Bailey joined Villa in 2021 for £30 million, a record signing for a Jamaican player, and went on to make 144 appearances for the club.

After a successful 2023-24 season where he registered 14 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, Bailey struggled last season to become a regular starter for manager Unai Emery, managing just two goals and four assists.

However, with Jamaica set to begin the final round of Concacaf World Cup qualifying in two weeks, Ricketts says the move could provide a new spark in Bailey who has seven goals and seven assists for Jamaica.

“I hope it’s a move in the right direction,” Ricketts tells the Jamaica Observer. “We’re just very excited when our players make these moves. Leon is very much a part of the plan going forward. I know the coach is very excited after having discussions with him.

“Probably a change of environment will help him to be a little more focused and I hope that will translate to some positive for the JFF. All in all, we’re happy and very excited and we do hope it works in his and our favour.”

Bailey is likely to be included in the Reggae Boyz squad for their away trip to Bermuda on September 5 before hosting Trinidad and Tobago on September 9 at the National Stadium.

Bailey’s switch to Roma makes him the second-ever Jamaican-born player to play in the Serie A, after striker Trivante Stewart who left Mount Pleasant Football Academy for Salernitana in 2023. However, Stewart now plays for Maccabi Haifi in Israel.

Ricketts says Bailey’s move is a testament to the work being done in local football.

“It’s a feather in the cap of our footballing programme,” he says. “We really don’t appreciate what we do. People globally are very happy about the state of our sporting bodies while we obviously don’t.

“So this is a step in the right direction and something that will hopefully highlight the achievements of our technical programme.”

Bailey could suit up for Roma as early as Saturday for the club’s league opener against Bologna.

Jamaica winger Leon Bailey lobs the ball to a teammate during their Concacaf Nations League second-leg, quarter-final match against the United States at Energizer Park in St Louis, Missouri, on Monday, November 18, 2024.

RICKETTS… probably a change of environment will help him to be a little more focused and I hope that will translate to some positive for the JFF