Aston Villa and Newcastle United transfer battle 'hotting up' for £46m playmaker

Villa are keen to chop in front of Premier League rivals Newcastle to acquire the services of Villarreal attacking midfielder Alex Baena in January, according to a recent report.

The Villans are already well-stocked with playmakers but are said to be eyeing a swoop for Baena, who has assisted four goals in six La Liga appearances for Villarreal so far this season. The 23-year-old, five times a full Spain international, was also a key player for the Yellow Submarine last term as he contributed five goals and 18 assists in 45 games across all competitions.

Caught Offside reports Villa and Newcastle have been tracking Baena’s progress as they consider activating the player’s €55 million (£46 million) release clause. It’s claimed both clubs have consistently sent scouts to watch Baena in action and have decided they want to progress with their respective swoops, perhaps as soon as January.

It’s been described as a ‘battle royale’ between Villa and Newcastle but the former are said to have the slight advantage due to the presence of Unai Emery. Not only is the head coach highly acclaimed and someone Baena would want to work with, but Emery’s relationship with Villarreal could help the transfer materialise.

As it stands, however, the January transfer window remains over three months away and Villa don’t have huge funds to splash willy-nilly. Although the concerns over breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) were relieved in June, Villa must still tread carefully with their future transfer business.