Blues cool on Baena as winter window approaches
Manchester City have made their position on Alex Baena plain: admiration, yes. A January bid, almost certainly not.
Sources have told Football Insider that while the Blues continue to track the Atletico Madrid forward, they are not planning a mid-season move. The club’s summer business has left them feeling well covered in the final third, and only a dramatic shift in circumstances would change that outlook before the window shuts.
Baena’s stock has rarely been higher. A key part of Spain’s World Cup triumph in North America, he started seven games and contributed two goals on the way to lifting the trophy. That success capped a remarkable year in which he also became the first player ever to hold the World Cup, European Championship and Olympic titles simultaneously.
His form has carried into the new La Liga season, with three goals and an assist in Atleti’s opening four league matches. Over the past few campaigns he has established himself as one of the division’s standout wide men, earning a spot in the 2024-25 Team of the Season.
At 25, Baena is versatile enough to operate across the front line, though his natural home is on the left. That is precisely the area City looked to strengthen late in the summer, eventually turning to Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye in a £65m deal. Allan Elias also arrived from Palmeiras as part of Enzo Maresca’s attacking refresh.
The manager had identified another target in that position too. Cody Gakpo was a priority towards the end of the window, viewed as the ideal addition to Maresca’s forward options. Liverpool, however, had no interest in selling, with Andoni Iraola considering the Dutchman a key part of his plans. Gakpo was open to the move, sources say, but is content to remain at Anfield, where he is expected to feature regularly as an alternative to Alexander Isak through the middle.
Baena, for now, remains on City’s shortlist rather than their shopping list. Newcastle and Aston Villa have both been linked with the winger, so the watching brief will be a shared one. The Blues, it seems, are happy to wait.