Carles Martinez Novell hasn’t even officially started his job yet, and he’s already fielding questions about losing one of his best players. The newly appointed Bayer Leverkusen head coach has made it clear he’s not losing sleep over the swirling transfer speculation around Alejandro Grimaldo.

Grimaldo, the 30-year-old Spanish left-back who helped Leverkusen achieve their historic unbeaten Bundesliga title under Xabi Alonso, has attracted interest from Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus. With just one year left on his contract, the situation has all the ingredients of a summer saga.

A new coach walks into a transfer storm

Martinez Novell was appointed Leverkusen’s head coach on June 4, 2026, following the departure of Kasper Hjulmand. He signed a two-year deal running until June 2028, with his tenure officially beginning on July 1.

Here’s the thing about Martinez’s position: Leverkusen still holds meaningful leverage. Grimaldo’s contract runs until 2027, which means any club wanting the left-back this summer needs to negotiate a fee rather than simply waiting for a free transfer in January.

Grimaldo’s journey at Leverkusen

Grimaldo arrived at Leverkusen on a free transfer from Benfica in the summer of 2023. That move turned out to be one of the shrewdest pieces of business in recent Bundesliga history.

Leverkusen reportedly values Grimaldo somewhere between €10 million and €20 million this summer. For a player they signed for nothing three years ago, that represents a tidy return on investment regardless of where the final fee lands in that range.

Grimaldo himself has sent mixed signals. He has publicly expressed satisfaction with life at Leverkusen while simultaneously acknowledging a desire to eventually return to La Liga.

The suitors lining up

The list of interested clubs reads like a Champions League group stage draw. Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus have all been linked with moves for the left-back.

Barcelona’s interest carries particular weight given Grimaldo’s roots. He spent his formative years in La Masia, Barcelona’s famed youth academy, before leaving for Benfica in 2016.

As of mid-June 2026, no confirmed offers have been made for Grimaldo.

The €10-20 million price tag Leverkusen has reportedly set is low enough that multiple clubs could afford it without restructuring their summer budgets, but high enough that Leverkusen isn’t giving away a player they acquired for free.