Villarreal youngster Álex Baena is on the ‘long list of talented and promising players’ Aston Villa have assembled as they look to improve Unai Emery’s squad this summer.
That’s according to Cadena SER, who say the player could end up reuniting with Emery at Villa Park, particularly once Mateo Alemany has arrived at the club as sporting director.
They state that his move to Birmingham has opened up the possibility of Aston Villa signing several Spanish players this summer and Baena is one of them.
He’s been enjoying another superb season for Villarreal and is predicted to only keep rising, something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by potential suitors.
They see a player who is comfortable assuming his role in a ‘great squad’ where he can be both a starter and on the bench.
He also knows how to score goals and has shown an ‘ability to learn’, something that Emery even highlighted during his time working with him.
He didn’t really star under the Spanish coach, but was a player Emery appreciated nonetheless, something which could open up the idea of a move as Aston Villa try to give him ‘a great sporting project’.
Getting him will not be a cheap operation, though, as he has an ‘important clause’ in his current contract that will need to be matched. However, Villarreal are aware Villa are willing to offer ‘dizzying’ figures for players to bolster Emery’s squad.
Baena is a player who ‘has no ceiling’ and that could attract the Premier League side, whose financial power would put them ahead of even the Spanish giants.
