Barcelona keeping a close eye on €50m-rated Spanish midfielder – Report | OneFootball

In the last few weeks, FC Barcelona have seen several of their injured players return from the infirmary. Ronald Araújo was the latest player to return to the pitch, as he made his season debut in last night’s Copa del Rey match against Barbastro.

With the return of these injured players, the Catalan team’s defense and midfield ranks have swelled considerably. In both these areas of the pitch, Hansi Flick has a surplus of options available for selection.

Still, the Blaugranes continue to be linked with new players in these areas of the team. For the defense, some recent reports suggest that Barcelona have already arrived at an agreement with the German defender Jonathan Tah.

For the midfield, one of the players that the Catalans are keeping in view is the Villarreal midfielder Álex Baena, who has been one of the most promising players in Spanish football for the last few years.

There are several clubs across Europe interested in signing the €50m-rated Spaniard, and Villarreal will hardly be able to retain him in their ranks. Barcelona also like him a lot, and the only thing that has kept them from making an offer for him is their strained financial condition.

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

According to SPORT, the Blaugranes understand that the player wants to stay in Spain even if he leaves Villarreal, and more precisely, he prefers a move to Barcelona, a desire that he has already declared publicly.

One factor that contributes to this desire to join the Blaugrana club is the fond memories that he retains from his time in Catalonia, where he used to play for Girona.

The midfielder has a release clause of €60 million in his Villarreal contract which remains in force till 2028, but Barcelona still have him in their sights to bring another interesting midfield option to their team for the seasons to come.