Former Barcelona defender Alejandro Grimaldo is set to return to Spain after a decade abroad, but not to his boyhood club Barcelona — he is reportedly moving to Atletico Madrid.
Grimaldo, a product of Barcelona's academy and having spent four years with their B team, made his name at Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen. In 2024, he earned a Ballon d'Or nomination following Leverkusen's unbeaten Bundesliga title run.
The Valencia-born left-back also won Euro 2024 with Spain and is currently participating in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, mostly serving as a substitute for the national team.
Despite frequent speculation about a Barcelona return, it appears this time the deal will not materialize. After Marc Cucurella joined Real Madrid, Atletico shifted focus to Grimaldo. His transfer is reportedly close to completion for about €20 million.
Barcelona already has Alejandro Balde and, hopefully, João Cancelo at left-back, so the club's need for another in that position is limited. Theoretically, they could sign another left-back and then sell Balde or move Cancelo to right-back, causing defensive adjustments.
Earlier rumors suggested Barcelona was interested in reshaping the squad to accommodate Grimaldo, but now the signs point to him joining Atletico Madrid swiftly, with Barcelona not pushing heavily for the transfer.
