Yahoo Sport 
Aston Villa target lays out transfer deal breaker ahead of January window
Long-term Aston Villa transfer target Álex Baena has revealed the one condition he needs to be guaranteed if he is to join Unai Emery's side from current club Villarreal.
Baena has been a named often linked to the Villans in recent windows having worked with Emery at the Yellow Submarine. The 23-year-old is an exciting attacking midfielder and winger who was recently dubbed 'Europe's most creative player'.
With five goals and three assists to his name in La Liga so far this season, the Spaniard has been one of the stars in a Villarreal team that sit pretty in fifth. Baena is also tied with Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka for the most league assists in Europe since the start of last season with 19.
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Villa boss Emery gifted a young Baena his full La Liga debut four years when they both at the Estadi de la Ceràmica and the midfielder has since gone on to become a full Spanish international.
He has played alongside one Villan already in Pau Torres. The centre back was also a product of Villarreal's academy and played with Baena at club level until his arrival at Villa Park in the summer of 2023.
After being touted as a Villa target numerous times over the past year, with fees of €60 million and then €40 million being banded around by Spanish media outlets, Baena has finally broken his silence over what it would take to pry him away from Emery's former club.
"I have always said that to leave Villarreal it has to be a better team," revealed the 2001-born midfielder.
"And for me that has to be a top 10 team in the world. Villarreal is the club of my life and if one day that offer comes we will sit down and talk and see what is best for both of us.
"I try not to look too much at what is said, although I am getting some (interest). What I am focused on is finishing the season at Villarreal and staying here, because that is where I am happiest. I am thinking about what I have to do now."
Are the Villans a top 10 team in the world? That is very much up for debate.
Sitting sixth in the Premier League may not warrant such a label, but Emery currently has his side third in the Champions League group phase and performing against some of Europe's best sides such as Bayern Munich and Juventus.
If Villa continue their rapid upward trajectory this season, and with the familiarity and lure that their Spanish boss and former teammate Torres would offer to Baena, they could very well be a realistic destination for the young midfielder.
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