Aston Villa anger emerges amid ‘remarkable and ridiculous’ Álex Baena transfer news
Bryan King is shocked that Aston Villa target Álex Baena is valued at £54million by Villarreal.
The ex-Villa scout thinks the 23-year-old is worth no more than £25million.
According to CaughtOffside (29 October), both Villa and Newcastle want to sign the £54million-rated Baena. The forward is thought to be keen on working with Unai Emery again, with the two having crossed paths previously at Villarreal.
However, King – speaking exclusively to Villa News – doesn’t understand why he is set to cost so much.
“I’m not happy with the £50million-plus fee being quoted,” King said.
“I’d have thought for that player, maybe £20 or £25million, that is a sensible figure.
“Money is going out of the Premier League into Spain, nothing is going back into grassroots. I don’t know who decides these fees. They’re remarkable and ridiculous.”
Aston Villa to reunite Unai Emery with Álex Baena?
King has suggested that Villa are “in the driving seat” to sign Baena ahead of the Magpies.
However, whether or not they should sign the Spaniard is a different story entirely.
Baena is no doubt a talented player, and having worked with Emery previously could help him to settle in quickly at Villa Park.
However, he is still relatively unproven, with no experience in English football. Therefore, splashing more than £50million on him could certainly be seen as a gamble.
Ultimately, the final decision should come down to Emery, with the Villa boss having earned the full trust of his club.
In other Aston Villa news, one player at the club has been hit with a hefty punishment as details are shared.
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