Álex Baena

25 yrs · Left winger (also AM) · Spain
Atlético de Madrid · Laliga · Foot: right · Height: 172 cm
Risk: ModerateConfidence: MediumSample: MediumDevelopment: ModerateContract: until 30 Jun 2030
Market value
€40.0M
Updated 6 days ago
Estimated acquisition
€27.2M – €48.4M
Estimated · 20–80% range
Model value
€18.1M – €45.1M
Performance-implied · estimated
Projected (24m)
€17.6M – €42.2M
Resale range · estimated
Potential value gap
-€30.3M – €17.9M
Model value − acquisition

Value picture

Where the market, the likely price and the model estimates sit.

Estimated acquisition€27.2M – €48.4M
Model value (performance-implied)€18.1M – €45.1M
Projected value (24 months)€17.6M – €42.2M
Dashed line: current market value (€40.0M). Bars are 20–80% model ranges; tick = median.

The model rates Álex Baena's performance-implied value at EUR 18.1M-45.1M, below the estimated acquisition range of EUR 27.2M-48.4M. Its 24-month market value projection is EUR 17.6M-42.2M. Context-adjusted goal contributions are 0.55x the positional average in the league (1572 minutes, league coefficient 0.95). Confidence is medium: no event-level data (xG, progressive actions) is available from the current free source, and injury history is unavailable.

Bargain Index: 17

What drives the score. Not a black box: each component and its level.

PerformanceHigh87.5th pct among ATT peers (age-neutral)
AgeNeutral24.9 years
Acquisition costNeutralest. €35.0M vs market €40.0M
Expected appreciationVery low-35% over ~2 years (model)
Value gapVery negativeweak predictor on its own
DevelopmentModerate
League translationBig-five leagueleague coefficient 0.95
Tactical fitNot evaluatedRequires event/role data not available from the current free source.
RiskModerate
Data confidenceMedium

Bargain Index = percentile (among all evaluated players) of expected 2-year value relative to estimated cost. See methodology and backtests.

Market value history

Market value ≠ transfer fee ≠ acquisition cost.

Highest recorded: €55.0M

Profile vs positional peers

Percentiles among 900 evaluated ATT players with 900+ minutes.

Performance (last season, league)

Minutes
1572 (46% of available)
Goals + assists / 90
0.29
Context-adjusted G+A / 90
0.23
xG, xA, progression
Data unavailable
Defensive actions
Data unavailable
Performance percentile
88 (High)

Adjusted = shrunk toward positional baseline for small samples, corrected for team dominance over opponents, expressed relative to positional peers in the same league.

Context

League strength
0.95 (rank 2)
Team strength (Elo)
1619
Opponent strength
1457
Possession, role
Data unavailable

League strength 1.00 = average club of the big-five leagues. Elo includes continental matches.

Potential

Development
Moderate
Trajectory
declining
Breakout probability
Age > 23
Resale range (24m)
€17.6M – €42.2M

Trajectory drivers: minutes share down 30 pts; changed club; relative output down 54% vs positional peers.

Historical comparables (8): median 2-year value change -15% (IQR -46% to -5%).

Risk profile

Overall: Moderate

  • ⚠Limited sample: 1572 league minutes last season.
  • ⚠Declining trajectory versus previous season.
  • ⓘInjury history unavailable from current data source.

League translation

What happened to players who moved from this league to the big-five leagues (observed, not a forecast).

Already playing in a big-five league.

Output is relative to positional peers in each league. Movers are a selected group (clubs buy players who fit), so treat this as context, not a guarantee.

Season-by-season (domestic league)

Context-adjusted values are model outputs.

SeasonClubLeaguePosAppsMinMin shareGAG+A/90Adj. G+A/90Opp. EloTeam EloLeague str.
2025/26Atlético de MadridLaligaLW27157246%230.290.23145716190.95
2024/25Villarreal CFLaligaLW32260876%7100.590.51152015970.95
2023/24Villarreal CFLaligaLW34260176%2140.550.49148415771.00
2022/23Villarreal CFLaligaAM35194357%630.420.37152215810.98
2020/21Villarreal CFLaligaAM61364%000.000.32154116761.10
2019/20Villarreal CFLaligaLW1140%000.000.43153216101.16

Cups & continental competitions

SeasonCompetitionClubAppsMinGAAvg opp. Elo
2025/26Uefa Champions LeagueAtlético de Madrid13455001665
2025/26Copa Del ReyAtlético de Madrid521800—
2025/26World CupSpain212710—
2025/26SupercopaAtlético de Madrid160001747
2024/25Copa Del ReyVillarreal CF12000—
2023/24Uefa Europa LeagueVillarreal CF8366241521
2023/24Copa Del ReyVillarreal CF317010—
2022/23Copa Del ReyVillarreal CF429420—
2022/23Uefa Conference League QualifyingVillarreal CF2180011417
2020/21Copa Del ReyVillarreal CF537503—
2020/21Uefa Europa LeagueVillarreal CF8287211399
2019/20Copa Del ReyVillarreal CF12702—

Small continental samples are shown for context only and are not over-weighted.

Historical comparables

Most similar profiles 2+ years ago (same position group) and what happened next. Chosen by similarity only — failures included.

Player (then)AgeValue then~2y laterOutcome
Emil Forsberg
Bundesliga · 2018
27€25.0M€22.5Mflat
Kang-in Lee
Ligue 1 · 2024
23€25.0M€28.0Mflat
Samuel Chukwueze
Serie A · 2024
25€20.0M€18.0Mflat
Youssef En-Nesyri
Laliga · 2022
25€25.0M€20.0Mfell
Jonathan Ikoné
Ligue 1 · 2022
24€18.0M€10.0Mfell
Arkadiusz Milik
Serie A · 2020
26€32.0M€16.0Mfell
Randal Kolo Muani
Ligue 1 · 2024
26€45.0M€20.0Mfell
Ciro Immobile
Bundesliga · 2015
25€12.0M€20.0Mrose

Transfer history

Fees as reported by the source; undisclosed fees shown as unknown, never estimated.

DateFromToFeeMV at time
2 Jul 2025VillarrealAtlético€42.0M€55.0M
30 Jun 2022GironaVillarrealFree / loan€3.0M
19 Aug 2021VillarrealGironaFree / loan€2.5M
1 Aug 2020Villarreal CF BVillarrealUnknown€200k
1 Jul 2019Villarreal U19Villarreal CF BUnknownData unavailable
1 Jul 2018Roda U19Villarreal U19UnknownData unavailable
1 Jul 2017Villarreal Yth.Roda U19UnknownData unavailable

MoneyballAI identifies statistical opportunities from available data. A player flagged as a potential bargain is not guaranteed to succeed, to transfer, to rise in value, or to generate resale profit. Market values, fees and contracts come from third-party sources; ranges are model estimates with stated confidence.