Manchester City Handed Alex Baena Transfer Blow as Atletico Madrid Refuse to Sell

Manchester City have hit a stumbling block in their reported chase for Atletico Madrid forward Alex Baena, with the La Liga side making clear they have no intention of letting him leave the Metropolitano anytime soon, according to Football Insider.

Pep Guardiola’s side had reportedly added the Spain international to their shortlist after being drawn to his displays over recent campaigns, but Atletico regard the 25-year-old as central to Diego Simeone’s project, meaning any approach from the Etihad is likely to be knocked back.

Baena’s rapid rise up the ranks

Baena played a prominent role for Spain during their run at the 2026 World Cup and has carried that momentum into his club form under Simeone. Bound to Atletico until 2030, and with the Spanish outfit renowned for driving a hard bargain, City would almost certainly need to break the bank to prise him away.

His breakthrough campaign for Villarreal, where he contributed to 16 goals in 32 La Liga outings during 2024/25, earned him a place in the league’s Team of the Season and a £39 million switch to Atletico. His maiden year in the capital proved trickier, yielding only five goal involvements, though he has started this season brightly with four contributions in five matches.

City still keeping tabs despite obstacles

City’s interest makes sense given their late search for a left-sided attacking option, a need eventually filled by the £65 million signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton. Baena, though, remains a name they’ll continue monitoring for the future.

A January move looks improbable given his standing under Simeone, and even next summer wouldn’t be straightforward with three years still left on his contract. Personally, I’d expect City to hold fire unless another attacker departs the Etihad, freeing up both space and budget for a serious offer Atletico can’t simply wave away.