Atletico Madrid readying club-to-club talks for leading summer target | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid will be busy this summer as they aim to use the transfer market to close the gap to Barcelona and Real Madrid. They are planning to address positions in defence and midfield, and soon, they will open talks with the club of one of their leading targets.

Atletico Madrid interest in Alex Baena is well known

It is no secret that Atleti are very interested in signing Alex Baena this summer. The 23-year-old has been one of the best midfielders in La Liga over the last couple of seasons, with 11 goals and 26 assists across all competitions during this period. And this has led Los Colchoneros to establish him as one of their top targets, alongside Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina defender Cristian Romero.

Villarreal are open to letting Baena leave this summer, but only on their terms. And although an agreement between the two clubs was recently denied, Atleti are hoping to have one sewn up soon.

Meeting scheduled between Atletico Madrid and Villarreal

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As reported by Relevo, Atleti have scheduled club-to-club talks with Villarreal as they seek to get a deal done for Baena. As this stage, there has been no discussions, but they will take place in the coming weeks.

Atleti see Baena has being the perfect player for the left midfield position in Diego Simeone’s 4-4-2 system. He has a €60m release clause, although reports from earlier this year have stated that Villarreal are open to negotiating a reduced price.

There is no doubt that Baena would be a top signing for Atletico Madrid, and if they can get a deal done this summer, it would be a statement of intent for the 2025-26 season and beyond. But it is not guaranteed that they will be successful, as there is also lingering interest from the Premier League – specifically, from Aston Villa and Manchester United.