Grimaldo agrees Atlético Madrid terms as €25m bid falls short of Leverkusen's €30m demand

Alejandro Grimaldo has told Atlético Madrid he is ready to join, agreeing personal terms on a deal running to 2029 with an option for a further year — but the Spanish club’s opening €25m bid has yet to satisfy Bayer Leverkusen, who are holding firm at €30m.

Transfer reporter Matteo Moretto confirmed Atlético have opened formal talks with Leverkusen over the 30-year-old left-back, while Fabrizio Romano added that Grimaldo has already “said yes to Atlético’s project.” The acceleration follows Atlético pivoting decisively to Grimaldo after Marc Cucurella agreed terms with Real Madrid, effectively ending one half of the club’s two-track left-back rebuild.

The €25m offer represents a significant step up from the €10–13m range Atlético had explored in earlier discussions, but it still falls short of the €30m figure cited by Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger and Sky Germany as Leverkusen’s stated position. Some Spanish outlets have also referenced a release clause in the €18–20m range, though Leverkusen’s willingness to engage at all suggests they are not treating that figure as an absolute floor.

Grimaldo joined Leverkusen on a free transfer from Benfica in the summer of 2023 and became a cornerstone of Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga title-winning side, contributing 14 goals and 12 assists across 44 matches from left-back. That output — exceptional by any positional standard — explains why Leverkusen are insisting on a premium despite having paid nothing to acquire him. His value as a set-piece specialist adds another layer to Atlético’s interest, given the tactical importance Diego Simeone places on dead-ball situations.

Leverkusen’s negotiating position is complicated by a contract dynamic that limits their leverage over time. Grimaldo’s deal runs to 2027 on paper, but Spanish and German media both report that the player has formally communicated he will not extend, placing the German club in the familiar bind of selling now at a discount or waiting for a free departure. That reality is what has moved Leverkusen from public resistance toward active negotiation.

Losing their vice-captain and one of the squad’s most creative outlets will force a significant defensive rebuild at Leverkusen. German media have noted that Grimaldo’s set-piece delivery and goal threat from wide areas are not qualities that are straightforward to replace, and identifying a successor will define a substantial portion of the club’s own summer activity.

For Atlético, the Grimaldo pursuit sits within a broader summer of active recruitment as Simeone oversees a wide-ranging squad overhaul. With personal terms already agreed, the deal’s fate now rests on whether the two clubs can bridge a €5m gap.