Aston Villa Are Keeping A Keen Eye On This La Liga Playmaker: What Will He Add To Emery’s Side? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Cadena SER revealed that Aston Villa are keeping a keen eye on Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena this summer. It has been claimed that the Villans are eager to move in for the Spanish attacker at the end of this season.

Baena is having a fruitful campaign at the Spanish club as he has put in a series of impressive displays for them in the opposition half. The 22-year-old has scored five times and picked up 16 assists in 41 matches for Villarreal this season across multiple competitions.

The Spanish talent has given a good account of himself in the final third and deserves credit for averaging 2.0 shots, 2.4 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga. He has also been careful when distributing possession up top after completing 78.3% of his attempted passes in the Spanish top tier (stats via whoscored).

His current contract at the Spanish club will expire in the summer of 2028. Hence, Aston Villa would have to make a convincing offer if they are serious about recruiting Baena later this year.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 22: Alex Baena of Spain during the international friendly match between Spain and Colombia at London Stadium on March 22, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

What Will Baena Add To Aston Villa Boss Unai Emery’s Side?

Baena is a good dribbler with the ball and can create some decent chances for his teammates to find the back of the net. He can even chip in by scoring a handful of important goals for his team in the final third. Baena is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also play as a winger on either flank if told to do so.

The Spanish sensation is enjoying his football at Villarreal right now and would be a great signing for the Villans to pull off this summer. He would add more goals and creativity to Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery’s frontline.

Baena has what it takes to help the West Midlands club compete across all fronts in the coming years. Emery could also be the ideal man to oversee his development at Villa Park over the next few seasons.

At 22, the future looks quite bright for Baena as long as he continues to improve with each year. Thus, the Villans would be wise to go all out to bring the Spaniard on board when the transfer window reopens later this summer.