Bayer Leverkusen signed one of the most sought-after free agents. Leverkusen confirmed on Monday that they had signed Benfica's left-back Alejandro Grimaldo for free. Grimaldo, who had a Transfermarkt value of EUR25m ($27.5m), was one of the best free agents on the market in the summer.
Leverkusen made a significant investment in Grimaldo, despite his status as a free agent. According to a report from Kicker and the Portuguese paper Record, Leverkusen is paying Grimaldo a EUR12 million ($13.2m) signing fee and a EUR6 million ($6.6m) yearly salary. This will make the Spaniard among the highest-paid players in the squad led by head coach Xabi Alonzo.
Simon Rolfes, Bayer Leverkusen's managing director of sport, said that Alejandro Grimaldo was a versatile left-back who had a lot of technical experience."He has a lot of experience and is a good player. He can score."We are pleased that we were able to convince Alejandro about our ambitious plans for years to come.
Leverkusen signed Grimaldo as a player who is considered a significant upgrade to current left-backs Daley Sinkgraven and Mitchelbakker. Grimaldo is a dynamic player who has a tendency to attack. He has scored seven goals in 52 games for Benfica across all competitions this season.
The Spaniard also ranks second in the top division of Portugal with ten assists and is 12th with 14 points. Bakker has four goals and two assists in 37 games in all competitions. Sinkgraven, on the other hand, has two assists from 12 Bundesliga games.
How will Grimaldo’s numbers translate in the Bundesliga? Benfica is without a doubt one of the top teams in Europe. The Portuguese league is also on the rise.
Then, there's Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard did a fantastic job in Leverkusen, and the club has a chance of reaching the Europa League final this season. But there have also been some shortcomings.
One of those is speed from the left, which can match the performance of Jeremie Fosu Mensah and Timothy Fosu Frimpong at the right-back position. Alonso will need to have the same speed if he wants Leverkusen to be one of the top teams in Germany.
Grimaldo certainly appears to be up to the challenge. Grimaldo stated in a club statement that he has played for a top European team for seven years."But I'm now attracted by the thought of showcasing my strengths in the Bundesliga too."It is one of the most exciting leagues in Europe, and the atmosphere and set-up at the stadiums are unique."
sports news, news sport, sports news today, wugt news sports, wugt sports news
