Aston Villa are reportedly keen on signing 23-year-old Spanish playmaker Alex Baena from Villarreal in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Aston Villa will be able to afford Alex Baena if they manage to sell Jacob Ramsey in the summer.
The 23-year-old midfielder has been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool. It will be interesting to see if either of the two clubs come forward with a concrete proposal to sign Ramsey in the summer.
Ramsey is capable of operating as an advanced central midfielder, an attacking midfielder as well as a wide player. The youngster has the technical attributes to develop into a quality player, and Arsenal and Liverpool could nurture him into a star. It will be interesting to see if Aston Villa decide to sell the player and bring in Baena as his alternative.
The Spanish playmaker has 13 goal contributions this season, and he has played under Unai Emery during their time together at Villarreal. A reunion could be on the cards this summer, and it will be interesting to see how the situation develops.
Alex Baena could improve Aston Villa
Aston Villa have an ambitious project and a talented squad. The West Midlands outfit have been competing in the Champions League this season, and they will look to secure European qualification for the next season as well. They will also look to fight for domestic trophies and they need to keep improving their squad.
Signing the Spanish playmaker will help them improve in the final third. He will help create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates with his technical ability, passing, and vision. He is also versatile enough to slot into multiple attacking roles, and that could be a major bonus for Aston Villa.
The Spaniard has shown his quality in La Liga, and he could be open to trying out a new challenge at this stage of his career. Reuniting with his former manager and competing in the Premier League could be exciting for the player.
Meanwhile, Arsenal and Liverpool need to add more creativity and technical ability in the middle of the park, and the 23-year-old Aston Villa midfielder could prove to be a useful long-term acquisition. If they can sign him for a reasonable amount of money, the deal could look like a bargain.
