The personal is already in place at Atlético Madrid for Álex Baena, but then Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany made personal contact and made a very convincing offer.
Álex Baena was together with Alexander Sørloth a huge success in La Liga last season, the idea of Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone was to replicate the success at the Wanda Metropolitano. Despite Simeone being cautious about using Sørloth, he is one of the top scorers in La Liga this season as well.
Now the competition gets even tougher. – Manchester United are on the pitch and are willing to top any bid that is already in. – As a start, they are talking about 50 million euros for Álex Baena plus performance bonuses.
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Amorim wants Baena for Manchester United
Rubén Amorim has noted Álex Baena as a priority goalkeeper to bolster Manchester United’s attack for next season. The Portuguese manager wants to make the Villarreal player a mainstay of his new project, and the English club are therefore working on offers of €50 million to outperform competition from Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich.
A perfect profile for Amorim’s system
Baena is not a random choice. Amorim is looking for versatile attacking players who can adapt to different roles, and the Spanish international (22) fits perfectly into this philosophy. His ability to play both on the left wing, centrally or as a creative playmaker makes him an ideal piece in a dynamic and aggressive system.
Stats that impress
A major upheaval awaits at Old Trafford, with the likes of Jadon Sancho, Antony and Marcus Rashford heading out to free up wage capacity. Baena’s arrival will not only bring youth and talent, but also concrete numbers:
- 2023/24 season: 5 goals + 18 assists
- 2024/25 season (as of date): Directly involved in 14 goals
Match against Atlético and Bayern
Although Atlético Madrid have taken the initiative in the first attempts to contact the player’s representatives, Manchester United have already laid out a strategy. Amorim, who recently took over as coach, wants to build an attack with creativity, expertise and unpredictability – something Baena offers in excess.
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If Villarreal proves open to negotiations, Baena could be one of the big signings of the summer for the Red Devils.
