Newcastle United have reportedly stepped up their interest in Atletico Madrid winger Alex Baena ahead of the January transfer window.
The Matthias Jaissle era at St James’ Park is still in its early stages, although the German coach has endured an inconsistent opening to his reign. Newcastle have collected five points from their first four Premier League games, leaving them 12th in the table.
Their latest league outing will be particularly concerning, with the Magpies suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Leeds United. There have been some positives in cup competition, however, as Newcastle progressed to the fourth round of the EFL Cup after victories over West Bromwich Albion and Millwall.
Despite the encouraging aspects of Jaissle’s early tenure, Newcastle remain determined to strengthen on the left wing, and Baena has now emerged as a potential target.
The 25-year-old has made an impressive start to the season with Atletico Madrid, scoring four goals in his first six La Liga appearances. His performances have reportedly attracted significant attention, with analyst Spencer Mossman previously describing the Spanish winger as “unreal”.
Baena also brings considerable experience at the highest level of Spanish football. He has made 148 La Liga appearances and enjoyed three productive seasons with Villarreal, contributing 27 assists during his time at the club.
Alex Baena’s Villarreal record
Season| La Liga appearances| Assists
2022-23| 35| 3
2023-24| 34| 14
2024-25| 32| 10
The Spain international has also established himself on the international stage, earning seven caps for his country during their World Cup-winning campaign, registering one goal and one assist.
Newcastle consider January move
According to a report from Spain, cited by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now seriously interested in bringing Baena to Tyneside in January.
The Magpies are looking to add more quality to their left side after Anthony Gordon’s departure during the summer, with Baena believed to be one of the players under consideration.
However, securing his signature could prove extremely difficult.
Atletico Madrid are reportedly reluctant to lose one of their key players in the middle of the season and have little interest in allowing Baena to leave. The winger is also said to be settled at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Newcastle could face further competition for his signature, with Manchester City and Aston Villa also reportedly monitoring the Spanish forward.
As a result, Newcastle may find it challenging to complete a deal even next summer, particularly if they fail to qualify for European competition and cannot offer
PIF alert: Newcastle now seriously considering January swoop for ‘unreal’ Atletico Madrid star
