€60m man with incredible 14 assists would be dream Maresca signing – except for one issue | OneFootball

Chelsea are still on the hunt for a right winger, with their attempts to sign Michael Olise having fallen flat.

A few options have been mentioned through the summer, but one which got some chatter a year ago which has yet to be revived is Alex Baena, the Villareal winger who has just returned from a successful Euros campaign with Spain.

Last year was a real breakout for him – he finished the season with 14 assists, which is more than anyone else in Europe’s top 5 leagues. Baena played more as a left winger cutting inside onto his stronger right foot last season, but he’s had plenty of appearances on the right in his career and could easily adapt to that too.

He’s an intensely technical player, trained in the Spanish system and playing for their national teams from U16 up to the seniors. He’d thrive in the possession game that Enzo Maresca is trying to put into place. Even better, he knows Nicolas Jackson well, having made his debut at the same time for Villareal under Unai Emery.

Alex Baena playing for Villareal.

A perfect fit – save for one thing

Still just 22, he would very much fit into the sporting directors’ plan for this team. His release clause is €60m, but we could almost certainly get him for less than that with a cash offer.  There’s just one reason this doesn’t look a superb deal – the number of wingers already on our books. Even without Olise, it’s hard to see where Baena would fit in with Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Mykhailo Mudryk already on the books, let alone with talents like Kendry Paez and Willian Estevao arriving in a year’s time.

But if the club were somehow able to move on one of their less successful winger purchases – we could see Baena being a dream signing.