Álex Baena
Agent, Salary, Contract, Club and Profile
Spain €45mm
Key Facts
Date of birth: 20.07.2001
Nationality: Spain
Current club: Atlético Madrid
Position: Attacking Midfielder / Left Winger / Central Midfielder
Height: 1.72m
Current market value: Approximately €45mm
Represented by: CAA Stellar
Main agent: Joshua Barnett — publicly reported representative; agency profile linked
Reported salary: Estimated €8.33m gross per year, excluding bonuses — Capology
Contract expires: 30.06.2030
About
Álex Baena is a Spanish attacking midfielder who plays for Atlético Madrid and the Spain national team. Known for his vision, creative passing and set-piece delivery, he can operate from the left or in central positions behind the forwards.
Born in Roquetas de Mar, Baena joined Villarreal’s academy in 2011 and made his first-team debut in 2020. A productive loan season at Girona helped him develop before he returned to establish himself as one of Villarreal’s main creative players.
Baena joined Atlético Madrid in July 2025 on a five-year contract. His international career has brought major success: he won the European Championship and Olympic gold in 2024 before helping Spain win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He is represented by CAA Stellar, with Joshua Barnett publicly reported among his representatives.
Representation
Agency: CAA Stellar
Reported representative: Joshua Barnett — agency profile linked
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Jurisdiction: Spain and international markets
FIFA licence status: Barnett’s current individual FIFA licence number is not confirmed here
Linked with Baena since: Publicly documented by 2024; exact starting date not confirmed
Also represents: Eduardo Camavinga, Fermín López, Ibrahima Konaté and Omar Marmoush
Related agency page: CAA Stellar
Baena’s representation relationship was publicly documented before his move from Villarreal to Atlético Madrid.
Joshua Barnett has been identified in reporting as his agent, although public information does not establish whether he manages every aspect of the player’s representation.
The five-year Atlético agreement secured Baena’s future until June 2030 as he moved into a new club environment while maintaining his place in Spain’s international setup.
Career timeline
Early development: Began playing football in Roquetas de Mar
2011: Joined Villarreal’s academy
2019/20: Progressed through Villarreal B into first-team contention
July 2020: Made his Villarreal first-team debut against Real Sociedad
2020/21: Featured in Villarreal’s Europa League-winning campaign
2021/22: Joined Girona on loan
June 2022: Helped Girona win promotion to La Liga
2022: Returned to Villarreal and established himself in the first team
2023: Reached the European U21 Championship final with Spain
September 2023: Scored on his senior Spain debut against Cyprus
2023/24: Finished as La Liga’s leading assist provider with 14
July 2024: Won the UEFA European Championship with Spain
August 2024: Won Olympic gold in Paris
July 2025: Joined Atlético Madrid on a contract until 2030
2025/26: Completed his first season with Atlético
July 2026: Helped Spain win the FIFA World Cup
2026/27: Took on a growing creative and goalscoring role in Atlético’s attack
Transfer history
2011 – Roquetas youth football to Villarreal academy – Youth transfer
2020 – Villarreal development teams to first team – Senior breakthrough
2021 – Villarreal to Girona – Season-long loan
2022 – Girona to Villarreal – Returned from loan following promotion to La Liga
2025 – Villarreal to Atlético Madrid – Permanent transfer – Reported initial fee: €42m, with additional payments potentially taking the package to approximately €55m – Five-year contract until June 2030
Baena’s Girona loan was an important step in his development, giving him regular senior football and experience in a successful promotion campaign.
He returned to Villarreal as a more established player and developed into a leading creator before Atlético secured his signing.
His move to Madrid kept him in La Liga while providing a new tactical challenge and regular exposure to Champions League football.
Playing profile
Baena is a creative midfielder who often starts from the left but moves inside to influence possession. He can also operate as an attacking midfielder or advanced central midfielder.
His strongest quality is his ability to identify and execute the final pass. He looks for runners behind the defensive line and can create chances through through balls, early crosses and disguised passes around the penalty area.
Predominantly right-footed, Baena is comfortable receiving between the lines and combining with forwards. He relies on awareness, timing and changes of direction to find space.
Set pieces are another important part of his game. He can deliver corners and free-kicks into dangerous areas or threaten goal directly from suitable positions.
Baena also offers shooting from outside the box and well-timed movement into scoring positions. His versatility allows him to rotate with teammates rather than remain fixed on the touchline.
Without possession, he plays with intensity and competes aggressively. His effectiveness depends on balancing that energy with discipline while maintaining the freedom to create.
Key strengths
Vision and chance creation
Through balls
Disguised passing
Set-piece delivery
Crossing from the left
Combination play
Receiving between the lines
Long-range shooting
Movement into attacking spaces
Competitive intensity
Midfield and attacking versatility
