This Wednesday’s clash between Atlético de Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen at the Metropolitano stadium highlights many stars. One of the notable figures is Alejandro Grimaldo, left-back of the German club.
This 29-year-old Valencian is going through an exceptional moment under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, validating a journey that began years ago at Benfica. This path has transformed him into a predominant left-back in European football and allowed him to join the Spanish national team, where he regularly features in recent call-ups.
Grimaldo will face Atlético, a team that has been eyeing him for some time, and he has never left their sights. In January 2021, Atlético began discussions with Benfica regarding the player, whose release clause was then set at 60 million euros, but these negotiations were unsuccessful.
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Other similar attempts have taken place in the past, notably in 2023 when his contract with Benfica was coming to an end. However, no agreement was reached with the club he joined in 2016 from FC Barcelona’s B team for just €2 million.
-In the end, Bayer Leverkusen acted faster than many others interested in the Valenician’s services, managing to bring him back to Germany, where he is shining under the guidance of Xabi Alonso.
Grimaldo’s market value now stands at €40 million, and although he is happy in the Bundesliga, he made it clear on Tuesday from the Metropolitano auditorium that he still wants to play in Spain. “I have never hidden my wish to play in Spain; I have never had the opportunity to play in LaLiga, and I am sure I will have this opportunity in the future, but for now, I I’m focused on tomorrow’s match,” said the Valenician.
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