"I'd love to play for Barcelona" – €60 million-rated La Liga midfielder offers come-and-get-me plea

Villarreal midfielder Alex Baena has suggested that he is looking forward to playing for Barcelona, urging the Catalan giants to trigger his €60 million release clause in the process.

Baena, 22, has turned a lot of heads since becoming a vital starter for his boyhood club. He has found the back of the opposition net 17 times and provided 22 assists in 89 games since the start of last season.

Following his three assists in Villarreal's 3-0 league win against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday (April 28), Baena revealed his fondness for the Blaugrana. He told Cadena SER's Carrusel (h/t X/@FabrizioRomano):

"I'd love to play for Barcelona. It's one of my biggest dreams, it's the best team in the world. The release clause is there and €60 million are needed to sign me."

A right-footed versatile midfielder blessed with passing and vision, Baena made his debut for Villarreal in December 2019. After helping his team win the UEFA Europa League trophy as a squad option in the 2020-21 season, he moved to Girona on a temporary transfer.

Baena, whose Villarreal contract is set to run out in June 2028, helped Girona gain promotion to the La Liga in the 2021-22 season. He bagged five goals and laid out seven assists in 45 overall outings for them.

Should Baena move to Barcelona in the future, he could pop up as a key rotational star. He would offer competition to the likes of Pedri and Gavi, while also featuring as an emergency option out on both flanks.

Overall, Baena has scored 19 goals and contributed 28 assists in 111 appearances across all competitions, including 77 starts, for Villarreal.

Xavi opines on Barcelona star's chances of departing Catalan giants this summer

Ahead of his side's league clash against Valencia on Monday (April 29), Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez was asked to shed light on Frenkie de Jong's future. He replied (h/t X/@FabrizioRomano):

"For me, De Jong is a key player. Nothing has changed, he's a really crucial [player] for me. He's been unlucky with many injuries but his level has always been excellent, I consider [him] as a crucial player."

De Jong, who is ruled out of the season with an ankle problem, is said to be one of Barcelona stars who could be sold this summer. He has reportedly drawn attention from Bayern Munich in the last few weeks.

Since leaving Ajax for €86 million in 2019, the 26-year-old has netted 17 goals and laid out 21 assists in 213 matches for the Catalan outfit.