Atletico Madrid have opened talks to sign Alejandro Grimaldo (30) from Bayer Leverkusen, with the German club setting an asking price in the region of €10-13m for the Spanish left-back, according to transfer reporter Matteo Moretto. Transfer specialist Nicolò Schira adds that Los Colchoneros have already placed a contract offer on the table running until 2029 with an option for a further year, indicating that negotiations on the player side are meaningfully ahead of where they stand with Leverkusen.
This is not the first time Atleti have circled Grimaldo. SER and AS reported interest as early as May 2025, though Leverkusen’s then-asking price of around €30m killed momentum before talks could develop. Grimaldo himself later confirmed there had been conversations with Atletico but that the move had not come close to materialising – context that makes the current, substantially reduced valuation all the more significant for both parties.
Atletico Madrid open talks for Alejandro Grimaldo
Moretto’s report frames the current asking price of €10-13m as a marked departure from Leverkusen’s previous stance, and Spanish outlets describe the operation as considerably cheaper than alternatives such as Marc Cucurella. Grimaldo’s Transfermarkt valuation sits at approximately €20m, meaning Leverkusen appear prepared to absorb a discount – partly explained by his contract running until 2027, which leaves this summer as one of the last windows to extract a meaningful fee before he approaches free agency.
Leverkusen’s own situation accelerates their willingness to sell. The club finished sixth in the Bundesliga, are without Champions League football next season, and are transitioning to new coach Carles Martínez Novell. German reports link Grimaldo’s potential departure directly to that reshuffle, with Leverkusen understood to have around €60m earmarked for reinforcements – a pot that a sale would help to fund. Reports also reference a clause that facilitates a return to LaLiga, with figures in the €15-20m range cited for Spanish clubs.
What this means for Atletico Madrid’s summer
Grimaldo’s profile fits Simeone’s system as a attacking-minded wing-back with proven end-product: 14 goals and 14 assists across 46 appearances in 2025/26, with 30 goals and 45 assists in 145 Leverkusen games overall. The fee, if agreed near the lower end of Leverkusen’s range, would represent smart business for a club managing its finances carefully this summer – as covered in Football Espana’s reporting on Atletico’s broader summer financial planning. Barcelona are also monitoring Grimaldo as cover should Alejandro Balde depart, meaning Los Rojiblancos face competition if they do not move decisively, a dynamic explored in recent coverage of Atletico and Barcelona competing for targets this window.
What next for Atletico Madrid and Grimaldo?
The key outstanding question is whether Atletico will table a formal bid within Leverkusen’s stated range and how quickly the German club respond given their need to fund their own rebuild. Grimaldo is openly keen on a return to Spain, which reduces the risk of the player side collapsing – but Barcelona’s presence in the background means Atleti cannot afford to let negotiations drift. The next meaningful development will be whether a formal offer lands at Leverkusen and whether it is sufficient to move the deal from talks into something more concrete.
