La Liga playmaker added to summer shortlist

Adding attacking quality to Ruben Amorim’s squad is one of the agendas for Man United this summer, and they could go to La Liga in order to achieve this goal.

It has been a season of struggle for Man United, and because of this, the summer transfer window will be crucial for them to significant improve the first team. There are a number of positions that need to be addressed, and one of them is attacking midfield.

Bruno Fernandes has been a saviour this season, but Man United need someone alongside him to ease his burden. They have been strongly linked with Wolves’ Matheus Cunha in recent weeks, and now another target has emerged.

Man United enquire about Alex Baena

As reported by Edu Burgos (via Football España), Man United have enquired about the situation of Alex Baena. The 23-year-old, who is also attracting interest from Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, has been one of La Liga’s best playmakers over the last 18 months, and this season, he has registered six goals and seven assists for Villarreal.

Baena, who has been followed by Arsenal, Man City and Aston Villa in recent months, has a release clause worth €60m (£50m), although there are reports that Villarreal would accept a reduced fee in the summer. This is bound to increase the competition for his signature, which would make things more difficult for Man United if their interest turns into a genuine pursuit.

For now, it appears that Man United have Cunha as their favoured target for the attacking midfield position, but Baena is a handy Plan B. He would likely cost less than the Brazilian, and while he is not as much of a goal threat, he is an outstanding playmaker that can create chances for the club’s expected new striker.