Villarreal are desperate to remove a £25 million release clause from Alex Baena’s contract as Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders Arsenal weigh up a move for one of La Liga’s rising stars, according to Spanish publication AS.
When discussing Europe’s most prosperous academies, it’s never long before Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon or Ajax enter the discussion. But Villarreal are certainly worthy of a mention.
Mario Gaspar, Manu Trigueiros, Pau Torres, Bruno Soriano and Alfonso Pedraza and more have all risen through the ranks before becoming first-team regulars on the Castellon coast. And that’s without mentioning Yeremy Pino and Alex Baena; two exciting homegrown forwards who have both emerged on Arsenal’s radar of late.
According to Sport, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City are also keeping tabs on Baena; a 21-year-old left-winger who has eight goals and four assists during an impressive breakthrough campaign at the La Liga outfit.
Baena, AS claims, has a £25 million release clause in his contract. But not for much longer, perhaps.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City all like Alex Baena
Villarreal, fully aware of the growing interest in their coveted Spain U21 international, are hoping to agree a new and improved contract with Baena. One that would remove that pesky £25 million clause from existence. Thus, allowing Villarreal to negotiate any potential sale on their terms.
Baena is one of a number of exciting up-and-coming wingers linked with Arsenal ahead of the January transfer window. And, unless Villarreal can rubber stamp a new deal before January 31st, the former Girona loanee would come a damn sight cheaper than some of the other names on the Gunners’ radar; Wolves’ Pedro Neto and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykyhalo Mudryk, for instance.
Carlo Nicolini, Shakhtar’s deputy vice chairman, told Calciomercato in October that the Ukrainian giants value Mudryk higher than the £85 million Manchester United paid Ajax for the prancing, pirouetting Antony.
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