Tottenham could be ready to take the race for Álex Baena to another level, with an €80m (£69.6m) January offer now being considered.
Spurs are the latest Premier League club to show interest in the Atlético Madrid attacker. Manchester City, Newcastle United and Aston Villa have also been linked with him in recent months.
There’s a difference this time, though. Tottenham are being mentioned alongside a specific figure, and it’s a pretty big one.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, scoring four goals and providing two assists in nine appearances. His performances have apparently convinced Spurs that he could be worth a major investment.
Tottenham considering huge January offer
Tottenham are weighing up an €80m (£69.6m) bid for Baena, according to Spanish newspaper La Razón.
The report explains that Xavi Simons’ injury has pushed Spurs to look at attacking reinforcements. Baena is among the options they’re now considering for January.
That potential offer would be almost double the €42m (£36.5m) Atlético paid Villarreal to sign him.
It’s quite a statement of intent, especially considering Baena has only recently started delivering the sort of performances expected of him in Madrid.
His first months at Atlético weren’t really easy. He struggled to enjoy the same importance he had at Villarreal, despite arriving for a substantial fee.
Things changed after the World Cup. Nico Williams’ injury gave Baena a bigger role with Spain, and he made the most of it. His performances helped attract attention from several European clubs.
Now he’s carried that form into the new season, making himself a much more important part of Atlético’s attack.
Premier League competition and Atlético’s position
Last month, we covered Manchester City, Newcastle and Aston Villa were identified as three clubs very interested in signing him.
Each had their own reasons for considering a move. City wanted more attacking depth, Newcastle were exploring reinforcements, and Villa had lost Morgan Rogers to Chelsea.
Unai Emery’s previous relationship with Baena at Villarreal also made Aston Villa’s interest particularly interesting. However, that earlier report brought a warning for all three clubs.
Atlético Madrid had no intention of selling Baena in January. The player was also described as happy in the Spanish capital and unwilling to leave.
There’s no suggestion in La Razón’s latest report that Atlético have changed their position. But that’s where Tottenham’s possible €80m (£69.6m) offer becomes a thing.
For now, the Spanish reports suggest Tottenham are exploring an expensive January move for a player Atlético would very much prefer to keep.
Xavi Simons vs Álex Baena
Tottenham vs Atlético Madrid · League stats
| Season | Statistic | Xavi Simons Tottenham |
Álex Baena Atlético Madrid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Appearances | 28 | 27 |
| Minutes played | 1,756 | 1,571 | |
| Goals | 2 | 2 | |
| Assists | 5 | 3 | |
| Minutes per goal contribution | 250.9 | 314.2 | |
| 2026–27* | Appearances | 0 | 8 |
| Minutes played | 0 | 498 | |
| Goals | 0 | 4 | |
| Assists | 0 | 2 | |
| Minutes per goal contribution | — | 83.0 |
for Atlético Madrid only. Simons’ Leipzig appearances in 2025–26
are excluded.
*2026–27 figures through 13 October 2026.
Minutes per goal contribution = minutes divided by goals plus assists,
rounded to one decimal place. A dash means no goal contributions.
Checked: 13 October 2026.
