Villarreal’s Alex Baena has joined fellow La Liga stars Marco Asensio and Ferran Torres on Aston VIlla’s summer radar as Mateu Alemany prepares to leave Barcelona for the Premier League outfit.
With the Camp Nou chief reportedly joining Unai Emery at Villa Park, you can probably expect to see a fair few flights heading into Birmingham Airport from Spanish soil over the coming months.
Emery has reportedly placed Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams and the so-called ‘new Pedri’ somewhere near the top of his transfer wishlist. His former Villarreal playmaker Dani Parejo is another option.
Will Unai Emery reunite with Alex Baena at Aston Villa?
Alemany, meanwhile, has big plans too.
The Barcelona director will begin working at Aston Villa next month and, according to AS, he has already put plans in place to bring in Real Madrid’s multi-Champions League-winning schemer Marco Asensio as well as Barcelona’s £47 million former Manchester City youngster Ferran Torres.
21-year-old Baena is not quite so high-profile.
But he is a player well-known to Emery, as well as Alemany. The former Arsenal and PSG boss handed Baena his chance in La Liga at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Now one of the most prolific midfield players in Spanish football; Baena has 12 goals and six assists in all competitions this term. He rattled home a brace during Saturday’s 5-1 thumping of fellow Champions League-chasers Athletic on the Castellon Coast.
Baena, who has represented Spain at U21 level, only signed a new contract a few months ago. The chance to reunite with his former boss at Villa Park is, however, one that may appeal to the diminutive attacking midfielder, who’s arrival would almost certainly spell the end for forgotten man Philippe Coutinho.
“His departure (to Aston Villa) was a big blow in every way,” Baena tells Relevo.
“Emery was good with me, with the steps that he had to follow. And I thank him very much for taking such care of me.”
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