(Corrects spelling of Villarreal throughout)
Atletico Madrid have signed Spanish midfielder Alex Baena from Villarreal, the LaLiga club said on Wednesday, with the 23-year-old signing a five-year contract in a deal reportedly worth 50 million euros ($58.92 million) according to Spanish media.
Baena came up through the ranks at Villarreal from the youth academy, making his senior debut in 2020 and, after a season on loan at Girona where he helped them to earn promotion, he has been a regular in the Villarreal side for the last three seasons.
“Really happy, it’s a big step in my career. I’m joining one of the biggest clubs in Spain and in Europe,” Baena said.
The playmaker has represented Spain at all underage levels and made his first appearance for the senior national side in 2023, scoring on his debut. Baena was a member of the Euro 2024 winning squad, making two substitute appearances.
Baena, who plays primarily as a left winger, was also a part of Spain’s gold-medal winning side at the Paris Olympics last year, where he scored in the final against France. He was named on the LaLiga Team of the Season for the most recent campaign.
($1 = 0.8486 euros)
