Atletico Madrid and Villarreal have reportedly reached an agreement for midfielder Alex Baena, after several weeks of negotiations. Although none have been made official yet, Baena is set to become their third major addition this summer after Matteo Ruggeri and Johnny Cardoso.
Cardoso will set Atletico back in excess of €30m, while Ruggeri’s deal could rise to €20m. Including Baena’s deal, Atletico’s spend could push over €100m for the second summer in a row. The deal was first reported by David Medina, but Fabrizio Romano has give further details, stating that the deal will be worth €45m plus €5m in variables. Los Colchoneros’ guaranteed spend is a minimum of €93m in fixed fees.
🚨🔴⚪️ Álex Baena to Atlético Madrid, here we go! Agreement in place with Villarreal.
Transfer fee will be €45m plus €5m add-ons.
Details being sorted then medical as @medinamarca reported. Baena already said yes to Atlético weeks ago.
Ruggeri, Cardoso, Baena. ✅3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/cE9Oj1LrYr
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 27, 2025
Atletico Madrid moving quickly for priorities
On Wednesday night, Villarreal all but confirmed that Baena would be heading to Atletico Madrid, and backed Diego Simeone to get the best out of him. The clubs still have to resolve some details, such as a payment schedule, but the move has now been agreed upon by both clubs and the player.
💣🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: Alex Baena to Atlético Madrid is a DONE DEAL!
[🎖️: @medinamarca] pic.twitter.com/4CLKPxSsPY
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) June 27, 2025
Los Rojiblancos agreed a contract with Baena several weeks ago, with the 23-year-old giving the green light to a move. It is thought that Baena was keen to make the switch to the Metropolitano, and despite having a €55m release clause, Villarreal were willing to work with Baena after he turned down a move to Saudi Arabia in January.
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Baena comes with a proven track record of providing goals for his teammates, and he should significantly improve the service for the likes of Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez. The former had his best season in Spain with Baena two years ago, and over the last two seasons, Baena has 28 assists and 12 goals. He usually operates off the left side of midfield, a position that has had no clear owner this season, with Conor Gallagher and Samuel Lino sharing game time there.
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