Manchester United enquire about 23-year-old La Liga assist king
Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena has been one of the most consistent and thrilling performers in La Liga over recent seasons, but after turning down a move to Saudi Arabia in January, it looks as if the Yellow Submarine will have to bid farewell to him this summer. Baena has a €60m release clause, and a number of giants in Europe are interested in him.
Primarily, Atletico Madrid. Baena has been cited as one of their top targets this summer, and have already opened informal talks with Villarreal to that end. The Yellow Submarine have noted that they would be willing to accept around €50m for Baena, but Atletico are considering trying to bring the price down by including a player in the deal.
Either way, Eduardo Burgos has reported that Los Colchoneros are hopeful about sealing a deal for Baena before the Club World Cup in June. He does say that no formal negotiations have taken place though, and explains that Bayern Munich and Manchester United have also enquired about Baena's services. Presumably the price tag would not be an issue for either of those sides.
Photo by EPA
Baena has again been in fine form this season, having managed to break into the Spain team last summer, playing a role in their Euro 2024 victory, and a starring spot in their Olympic gold medal just weeks later. This season Baena has played 28 games, scoring six times and giving eight assists.
Over the last two seasons, no player has given more assists than Baena in Spain, reaching a remarkable 18 assists in all competitions, although Villarreal were in the Europa League last season. Skilled at set pieces, with excellent vision and a competitive edge, if anything it is surprising that Baena was not the subject of more interest last summer. Aston Villa did make an approach, and Baena has expressed admiration for Barcelona in the past.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
J.K. Rowling Reignites Calls To Strip lmane Khelif Of Olympic Gold Over Leaked Medical Reports
"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling has spoken out again against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif following a leaked report alleging she is biologically male. Despite being disqualified by the IBA in 2023, Khelif competed and won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics based on her female ID. Besides J.K. Rowling, Imane Khelif also received backlash and criticism from several other notable figures, including Elon Musk, , and President Donald Trump. Rowling has reignited the gender and sport debate by supporting calls to revoke Olympic gold from Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, following a leaked medical report that allegedly identifies the athlete as biologically male. In her post, Rowling wrote: "It's a win for women because they won't be battered to death in the ring by men." She added: "If you had any idea what physical tests women go through routinely in their lives, you'd know a cheek swab is no bigger deal than flossing your teeth. Any more moronic questions, wing them over." British media personality also spoke out about the alleged test result, writing, "The biology-denying woke brigade abused and shamed me for saying it was outrageous and dangerous for Khelif to be beating up women at the Olympics. I'm ready for their apology, but won't hold my breath." The leaked medical document dated March 17, 2023, allegedly confirmed Khelif's male chromosomal profile and links directly to Khelif's removal from a competition in 2023, when the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified her over "failing gender eligibility tests." Despite IBA's disqualification, Khelif went on to compete at the Paris Olympics, where she claimed gold in the women's category. Her eligibility at the time was reportedly based on her self-identified gender and possession of a female passport. The leaked results, which became publicly available following their release by journalist Alan Abrahamson on the 3 Wire Sports website, describe Khelif's chromosome pattern as "male karyotype" and categorize the findings as "abnormal." According to the Daily Mail, the test was reportedly carried out at Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, an internationally certified laboratory recognized by the American College of Pathologists and ISO standards. Rowling's remarks and those of other famous critics of Khelif have led to fresh calls for the Algerian boxer's gold medal to be revoked. The revelation of the leaked medical report comes on the heels of World Boxing's recent decision requiring Imane Khelif to undergo sex verification testing to remain eligible for future participation in women's boxing events. The emergence of the document also casts doubt on previous statements made by IOC spokesperson Mark Adams, who had downplayed the legitimacy and implications of the test during a press conference at the Paris Olympics. At the time, Adams dismissed the 2023 test results as unreliable, calling them "ad hoc" and lacking legitimacy. "Those tests are not legitimate tests," he said. "The tests themselves, the process of the tests, the ad hoc nature of the tests are not legitimate." Adams added: "The testing, the method of the testing, the idea of the testing, which happened kind of overnight. None of it is legitimate, and this does not deserve any response." World Boxing imposed an indefinite suspension on Khelif, barring her from competing in the women's division at any of its sanctioned events, including the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup slated for June 5–10, 2025. In an official letter sent to the Algerian Boxing Federation, the governing body stated: "Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures." Additionally, World Boxing, now holding provisional oversight of Olympic boxing for LA 2028 under the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has introduced new eligibility requirements, including PCR testing for the SRY gene, which detects the presence of a Y chromosome. According to the organization, the PCR test is a molecular method designed to identify specific genetic markers, particularly the SRY gene, which signals the presence of a Y chromosome and is used to determine biological sex. The test can be administered via nasal or oral swab, saliva sample, or blood draw. This testing forms part of World Boxing's forthcoming "Sex, Age and Weight" policy, which the body says is intended to promote fairness and ensure the safety of all athletes competing in the sport. World Boxing's firm response comes amid backlash following the Paris Olympics, where both Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting won gold in the women's division. Italian boxer Angela Carini, who faced Khelif in an early round, later shared that the blows she received left her fearing for her life. Similarly, Mexico's Brianda Tamara Cruz, who fought Khelif in 2022, admitted, "I don't think I had ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer, nor in my sparring with men." It was the collective pushback, especially from Latin American boxing federations, that ultimately influenced World Boxing to adopt a stricter policy. Their advocacy emphasized the importance of recognizing biological sex to protect fairness and the physical safety of female athletes.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Olympics get Honda as auto sponsor for 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The organizing committee for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles signed Honda as a 'founding partner' Monday, giving the upcoming Summer Games their sixth new sponsor this year and their first tier-one sponsor since 2021. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Price tags for this level of sponsorship have been reported to start at around $200 million. The deal fills a hole for LA28 in the automotive category, which is considered one of the most important in the Olympic world. Advertisement Toyota had been the Olympics auto sponsor before declining to renew its deal after 2024. Delta and Comcast are the other top-level sponsors for LA28. John Slusher, the CEO of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties, told Sports Business Journal that the new deal brings the operation to more than $1.5 billion in sponsorship sales, with a goal of $2.5 billion. Part of this deal calls for Honda to work with the organizing committee on a vehicle fleet to help move athletes and officials around Southern California during the games. ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Olympics get Honda as auto sponsor for 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The organizing committee for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles signed Honda as a 'founding partner' Monday, giving the upcoming Summer Games their sixth new sponsor this year and their first tier-one sponsor since 2021. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Price tags for this level of sponsorship have been reported to start at around $200 million. The deal fills a hole for LA28 in the automotive category, which is considered one of the most important in the Olympic world. Toyota had been the Olympics auto sponsor before declining to renew its deal after 2024. Delta and Comcast are the other top-level sponsors for LA28. John Slusher, the CEO of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties, told Sports Business Journal that the new deal brings the operation to more than $1.5 billion in sponsorship sales, with a goal of $2.5 billion. Part of this deal calls for Honda to work with the organizing committee on a vehicle fleet to help move athletes and officials around Southern California during the games. ___ AP sports: The Associated Press
