Arsenal eye audacious January move for Atletico winger

Arsenal are reportedly preparing an ambitious January move for Atletico Madrid star Álex Baena to address a severe shortage of attacking options on the flanks.

Mikel Arteta's recruitment team have placed the 25-year-old Spanish international high on their shortlist following a combination of high-profile summer exits and a devastating wave of injuries.

The Gunners find themselves dangerously thin in wide areas, leaving the coaching staff desperate for proven top-tier reinforcement, according to Football Transfers.

Arsenal's current predicament is the direct result of a calculated summer squad restructure exacerbated by sudden physical setbacks.

During the transfer window, the North London club sanctioned the departures of two primary wide outlets: Gabriel Martinelli completed a club-record £60 million move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, while Leandro Trossard departed for Turkish outfit Beşiktaş in a £15.3 million deal.

Although Arsenal brought in Greek international Christos Tzolis to bolster the squad, their depth has been completely erased.

Tzolis is currently sidelined with a thigh injury, and star winger Bukayo Saka suffered a severe quad injury ten minutes into Wednesday's 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw against Bayern Munich on October 21.

With Saka facing up to two months on the sidelines and Tzolis still recovering, Arteta is left with only Madueke as a fully fit, senior specialist winger.

Baena represents the exact profile Arsenal require to restore dynamism to their attack. The versatile forward played an active role in Spain's glorious 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, operating effectively on the left wing and through central attacking zones.

That world-stage triumph added to an incredible international resume that includes winning both UEFA Euro 2024 and an Olympic gold medal with Spain in the summer of 2024.

After joining Atletico Madrid from Villarreal in July 2025, Baena has hit peak form this season, registering five goals and three assists in 12 appearances across all competitions.

His elite vision, positional flexibility, and pressing work rate make him an ideal fit for Arteta's tactical system.

Despite Arsenal's interest, securing Baena in the winter window presents a formidable negotiating challenge.

Atletico Madrid view the Spaniard as an indispensable piece of their frontline and are notoriously resistant to losing key players mid-season.

The Spanish club demonstrated their firm stance in the summer by blocking all approaches for striker Julián Álvarez amidst serious interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid.

With Baena under contract until 2030, Arsenal will likely need to present an extraordinary financial proposal to tempt the Madrid side into discussions come January.