Aston Villa eyeing move for £52m gem who could be Emery's own Odegaard

Aston Villa could finish fourth in the Premier League this season along with winning the Europa Conference League title, but Unai Emery would still be looking to strengthen during the summer.

Indeed, the Spaniard is eyeing up a player who is currently shining in La Liga at the moment…

Aston Villa transfer news

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Villa “remain interested” in a move for Villarreal star Alex Baena after his form for the Spanish side this season.

In December 2023, Spanish outlet AS (via Sports Witness) claimed that the Midlands side could make a move for Baena during the upcoming winter transfer window.

The report stated that the player was under contract until 2028, with a release clause of €60m (£52m) inserted into it.

Fast-forward a few months later, and it appears as though Villa’s interest hasn’t waned, with Emery looking like he could strike once the summer transfer window opens.

The attacking midfielder has shown a penchant for creating plenty of chances for his teammates this season, while he is also similar to a current Premier League sensation – Martin Odegaard.

Throughout the 2023/24 campaign, the 22-year-old has played 40 times for Villarreal, scoring five times while registering 13 assists in all competitions.

Ollie Watkins has been Villa’s biggest threat in front of goal, but Baena currently has one more assist than the Englishman (12), proving that the Spaniard could be an ideal option to have playing directly behind the striker.

Arsenal have fully reaped the rewards of turning Odegaard into a player yet to fulfil his potential to be one of the best-attacking midfielders in Europe. Perhaps Emery could do the same with Baene should he join this summer?

The Norwegian gem was in devastating form against Chelsea on Tuesday evening. He made eight key passes, grabbed two assists and succeeded with three of his four dribble attempts as the midfielder was at the centre of everything.

According to FBref, Odegaard is the most comparable player to Baena in Europe’s top five leagues and, judging by his impact in the Premier League recently, the Villarreal dynamo could be a wise investment.

The duo have registered similar domestic statistics this season with regard to assists (nine vs eight), shots per 90 (2.38 vs 2.17), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.34 vs 5.73) and, successful take-on percentage (42.2% vs 46.8%) which showcase how good the pair have been going forward this term.

In August, Baena was praised by journalist Josh Bunting, who lauded him as a "real architect", as he is "so creative in his approach, intelligent in his movement and he just has that really nice technique" while he also boasts "an excellent attitude and work-rate.”

Over the subsequent eight months, Baena has shone in Spain and has certainly shown enough to potential suitors that he could make a move to a bigger club.

Villa may be in the running. If they secure Champions League football next season, there is no doubt the youngster will be itching to move to the Midlands and link up with Emery.

Related But the move has now hit a stumbling block.