In a recent report, AS (via Sport Witness) stated that Aston Villa are set to rival Barcelona for Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena. It has been mentioned that the Villans are hoping to land the Spanish attacker in 2024.
Baena’s Impressive Start To This La Liga Campaign
Baena has managed to catch the eye at times with his performances for the Yellow Submarine on the attacking end of the pitch. The 22-year-old has found the back of the net once and earned four assists in ten matches for Villarreal this season in multiple competitions.
The Spanish sensation has proven his worth by averaging 2.5 shots and 2.4 key passes per game in La Liga football. He has even been tidy when distributing possession in the opponent’s half after completing 81.4% of his attempted passes in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Spanish club will run out in the summer of 2028 which would make it difficult for Aston Villa to sign him on a cut-price deal next year.
Is Baena A Good Option For Aston Villa Head Coach Unai Emery?
Baena excels at engineering a yard of space for himself to get a few strikes in on-target. He has even got the vision to create a few inviting chances for his teammates on the offensive end of the pitch when he is playing well on the pitch.
The Spanish talent primarily plays in the number ten position as an attacking midfielder but can also operate as a wide player on either flank if asked to do so by his manager.
Baena will add more goals and creativity to Aston Villa boss Unai Emery’s attacking department. He is good enough to challenge for a regular starting spot at Villa Park next season and could help the Villans continue to push for European football in the future.
At 22, Baena has got a bright future ahead of him which makes him a decent option for the West Midlands club to pursue for the long run. However, he would need time to settle into the physical style and high intensity of English football if Emery can devise a way to snap him up this winter or at the end of this season.
