A Transformative Addition To Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid, no stranger to making bold statements in the transfer market, is quietly constructing a competitive ensemble to rival Barcelona and Real Madrid. Its main coup is Álex Baena—the playmaker pinched from Villarreal for €50 million ($58 million) including achievable extras at the start of July.

Given the shakeup at Atleti’s local nemesis and scene-stealer Real, and the notion that Baena is a familiar name, making the natural step up from one La Liga team to another, his switch may have gone relatively unnoticed outside Spain. In Baena’s head, here’s a chance to make a significant impact—and keep a live record of achievements on his body—after being given the number 10 jersey.

Asked if he will continue the tradition of marking (quite literally) triumphs with a tattoo, the Andalusian said (Spanish) at his official unveiling on Monday, “I’ve come to Atlético to win titles, and it’s a thing I always do. And I think we’re going to tattoo ourselves more than once.”

Baena grabbed seven goals and 10 assists in 32 league outings for fifth-placed Villarreal last season. According to FBref, he was a division leader in the number of key passes made with 95 (impressive considering Barcelona’s stacked midfield talent) while having the best metric in expected assists, 12.6, essentially indicating that he provided the best opportunities to his teammates.

Baena Offers A Glimpse Into The New Atleti

The 24-year-old falls somewhere between a creative midfielder and forward, which is pretty convenient for Los Colchoneros. Ten years his senior, the established Atleti superstar who fits the same description is Antoine Griezmann, the glue in coach Diego Simeone’s workhorse XI. Despite signing a contract extension until 2027 in June, Atleti must get ready for life after the Frenchman, and Baena—although distinct in style—should ease that transition.

“Baena is a super-exciting signing. He is the kind of playmaker Atlético has lacked, from left midfield or elsewhere, for many years,” Jeremy Beren from the That Atleti podcast tells me. “For the fans, it means a lot that he wanted to come here in the face of other offers; he is the all-too-rare opportunity Atleti sometimes has to acquire an elite player who wasn’t on Barça or Real’s radar.”

Last season, Atlético was in the league title race before falling out of contention in the home stretch. Elsewhere, it exited the Champions League in heartbreaking fashion against Real at the quarterfinal stage and lost to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals. Since then, it’s also brought in Juan Musso, David Hancko, Clement Lenglet, Matteo Ruggeri, Marc Pubill, Johnny Cardoso, and Thiago Almada. Reinildo, Rodrigo Riquelme, Saúl Ñíguez, Rodrigo De Paul, and Ángel Correa have left the Metropolitano Stadium this summer.

At the top of the field, where Baena does the most damage, Atleti fans will be pleased to hear that Baena is already forging a good relationship with striker Julián Alvarez. If the side is to pose a threat near the La Liga summit in 2024/25, the likelihood is that Baena—a product of Villarreal’s academy—will play an active role in proceedings.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/henryflynn/2025/07/28/58-million-lex-baena-a-transformative-addition-to-atltico-madrid/