Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are interested in signing Villarreal attacker Alex Baena as they seek more firepower.
Alex Baena’s consistent performances for Villarreal have resulted in a lot of interest from across Europe and according to a report from Fichajes, Manchester City are one of the clubs keen on signing the Spanish attacking sensation.
Baena has come up the ranks at the Spanish club. While he got promoted to their first team in the summer of 2020, it took him a while to establish himself in their senior team. A successful loan spell at Girona during the 2021/22 season did the trick for him and he has been a regular feature for Villarreal since returning to the club.
He contributed towards 23 goals last season (5 goals, 18 assists) in his 45 outings. While Baena prefers playing out wide on the left, he is comfortable enough to feature as a number ten as well as on the right. His ability to feature anywhere on the flanks as well as in the centre of the park attracted a lot of attention.
The 23-year-old has further enhanced his reputation with an exceptional start to the new season. He already has five assists and a goal in his eight league outings. Multiple top clubs are closely watching him and they will soon look to knock on Villarreal’s door to sign him.
City are interested in Villarreal’s Baena
While his contract at the Spanish club runs until the summer of 2028, Manchester City are one of the clubs who could soon try to lure him away. Kevin de Bruyne’s contract runs out at the end of the season and he could be heading to the Middle East.
Pep Guardiola wants his team to be prepared for life without the Belgian and he feels Baena could help cope with his absence. His ability to feature in any role in the centre of the park makes him a great option for them and His playmaking abilities are evident from his statistics over the past two seasons.
The 23-year-old is considered a massive talent for the future and Villarreal won’t let him leave on the cheap. They value him at around €65 million and City should be willing to negotiate around that mark as they believe in the youngster’s huge potential having watched him closely.
