Alex Baena to Arsenal: The perfect signing for Mikel Arteta?

Arsenal have earmarked Atletico Madrid superstar Alex Baena as a possible signing for 2026 amid their continued pursuit of attacking reinforcements.

The Gunners bolstered their forward ranks with the addition of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge over the summer, but they failed to land a replacement for Gabriel Martinelli or a new starting striker.

Bids for Vinicius Junior, Morgan Rogers and Julian Alvarez were all in vain, and it’s understood that improving their attack in 2027 is regarded as a top priority by the Arsenal hierarchy.

Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi and Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz are among the stars currently on Arsenal’s transfer radar, although the club are also interested in a host of alternative targets, including Brentford’s Kevin Schade.

As exclusively revealed by FootballTransfers, Baena is being tracked by the Arsenal scouting department too, with the club keeping close tabs on his situation at Atletico Madrid ahead of a potential approach when the January transfer window opens.

But, would Baena fit in at the Emirates Stadium if the Gunners are able to finalise a deal?

Baena has been one of La Liga’s most potent creative attackers for years and it’s no surprise that he is beginning to garner interest from further afield.

Across his final two seasons at Villarreal, he notched 40 goal contributions in just 78 games, and while he endured a fairly underwhelming debut campaign at Atletico Madrid, he played a key role for Spain at this summer’s World Cup, and he has enjoyed an excellent start to 2026-27.

Baena has scored five goals and provided four assists in 15 games across all competitions so far this term, and although Arsenal may struggle to finalise a deal in January, there is good reason why a deal makes perfect sense.

The 25-year-old lacks the raw speed of the aforementioned Martinelli, but he has an eye for goal, immense creativity, excellent technical proficiency, and more than enough potential to usurp Tzolis as Mikel Arteta’s preferred left winger at Arsenal.

Baena can also operate as an attacking midfielder, however the vast majority of his Atletico Madrid career has been spent on the left flank and it’s in this role that he would likely be deployed if Arsenal are able to reach a transfer agreement.

The left wing position is certainly an issue for Arsenal and as one of Europe’s most in-form left-sided attackers, Baena would be an extremely smart acquisition for the north London giants next year.

One issue that could arise if a transfer is finalised, however, is the future of Eberechi Eze. The England international shares several similar traits to Baena, including his ability to play as a left winger or as a No.10, and his Arsenal career would undoubtedly be threatened if the Spain star arrives.

However, during his time at the Emirates Stadium, Eze is yet to display the glistening form he regularly produced at Crystal Palace, and landing Baena could be the perfect move for Arsenal as they look to finally win the Champions League for the first time in their history.