The end of the season always marks the beginning of a frenetic period in the world of soccer. As LaLiga matches say goodbye until August, transfer rumors and moves by major clubs begin to take center stage in sports news. In Villarreal's case, the last matchday not only served to close out the season in front of their fans, but also to leave an image that has not gone unnoticed: Álex Baena visibly moved and with tears in his eyes. Many have interpreted this gesture as the prelude to an imminent farewell.
The recently concluded season has been another outstanding one for the Almería-born footballer. His talent has remained under control, as was the case last year, in the offices of Europe's top clubs, although Atlético de Madrid appears to have taken the lead in the race to sign him.
The Colchonero club has been searching for a profile that brings flair and creativity in attack for some time. We already know that Álex Baena is the favorite name for the directors of the Metropolitano team. Atlético's bet is not a coincidence: the sporting management has detected that the Villarreal footballer would fit perfectly into Cholo's system, where both defensive intensity and the ability to break through opposing lines are highly valued.
A multi-million dollar transfer: figures and details of the deal
Negotiations between Atlético and Villarreal are at an advanced stage, as reported in recent hours by both @elchiringuitotv and several leading journalists. The deal could be closed at around 55 million euros, a figure that would make Baena one of the most expensive signings of the summer in LaLiga.
Atlético's urgency is understandable: clubs from Saudi Arabia have shown strong interest in acquiring the winger's services, even offering him multi-million dollar contracts in previous transfer windows. In fact, Baena himself turned down an offer of 18 million euros net per season from Arab soccer last January, showing his commitment to the European sporting project and, in particular, to the possibility of staying in Spain.
This determination has facilitated conversations between Atlético and Villarreal, since the player's desire has always been to join the Metropolitano. Meanwhile, the yellow team intends to close the deal as soon as possible in order to have enough margin to look for a reliable replacement. Names such as Alberto Moleiro (Las Palmas) are already being strongly considered as a possible substitute.