Aston Villa have been linked with a move for 22-year-old Crystal Palace midfielder in the summer transfer window.
According to a report from the Spanish publication AS via Sport Witness, Aston Villa are looking to sign Alex Baena in the summer transfer window. But the West Midlands club will face competition from Atletico Madrid.
Apparently, the 22-year-old midfielder is keen on joining Barcelona, and it remains to be seen whether he can secure a move to the Catalan giants at the end of the season. The Spaniard has a €60 million release clause in his contract, and Barcelona might find it difficult to afford him. They are going through financial limitations and they will struggle to pay a premium for the midfielder.
On the other hand, Aston Villa certainly have the financials to get the deal done. The report states that the Premier League club can sign the player without any problems this summer. Baena has five goals and 16 assists in all competitions this season, and he could prove to be a quality acquisition for the West Midlands club.
Baena could be tempted to join Aston Villa
Aston Villa are currently pushing for European qualification, and they need more cutting edge in the final third. The 22-year-old midfielder capable of operating in the wide areas as well as the central attacking midfielder. He will goals and creativity to the Aston Villa attack.
The opportunity to work with a quality manager like Unai Emery will be a tempting proposition as well for Alex Baena. The Spanish manager has done well to transform Aston Villa since his arrival and he will look attract quality players this summer.
Aston Villa have shown tremendous improvement under his management so far, and bringing in the right players will help them compete for trophies next season. It will be interesting to see how the situation develops.
His desire to join Barcelona will certainly come as a major boost for the Catalan giants if they are keen on securing his services. However, the asking price could complicate matters. The 22-year-old is a prodigious talent with a big future ahead of him, and he could justify the €60 million investment in the coming seasons.
Aston Villa have made staggering progress inside six years under the ownership of Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, whose ambitious plans for the football club are coming together.
The appointment of Unai Emery 18 months ago was transformative for the direction in which Villa are now heading on the pitch. The club are targeting their first piece of silverware for 28 years after reaching the Europa Conference League semi-finals and are also knocking on the door of Champions League football, holding fourth position in the Premier League with only three games left to play this term.
