Atletico Madrid announced on Wednesday that Villarreal midfielder Alex Baena has officially joined the club. The two sides signed a five-year contract, which will be valid until June 30, 2030.

Baena's contract at Villarreal was originally scheduled to expire in June 2028, and Atletico Madrid paid a transfer fee of about 45 million euros. If the floating clause is included, Baena's total transfer fee can reach up to 50 million euros.

The 23-year-old Baena came from Villarreal's youth training and made his debut for the first team in the King's Cup on December 18, 2019. He was then loaned to Girona for a season, and after his return, he gradually grew into Villarreal's offensive core.

To date, Baena has played 148 times for Villarreal, scoring 26 goals and providing 40 assists, winning a Europa League title with the team. He has also played 10 times for the Spanish national team and won the 2024 European Cup with the team.

After completing the transfer, Baena said: "I am very happy. Joining Atletico is a huge leap in my career. I have come to one of the top clubs in Spain and even in Europe. I feel very satisfied and very happy for this."

"I am very eager to play alongside my new teammates. I am also looking forward to working with Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann, especially Griezmann. He is a world-class player and a benchmark in football."

"I know Simeone is very demanding. I like his coaching style because high standards bring out the best in me. I am very much looking forward to receiving his guidance."

"I have always liked Atletico's playing style. The atmosphere at their home ground is very powerful and oppressive. I am grateful to the fans for their passion in pushing the team forward. The values that Atletico upholds are highly consistent with my philosophy."