Barcelona have received a boost in their pursuit of Alejandro Grimaldo as Benfica are seriously considering selling him for €10-15 million.
According to Portuguese publication O Jogo, Benfica are under pressure to offload defensive mainstay Alejandro Grimaldo due to his contract situation. The 26-year-old is a transfer target for Barcelona.
Grimaldo has been with Benfica for over six years now, having joined the club from Barcelona in January 2016. The left-back spent his youth career at La Masia and played close to 100 times for the Blaugrana’s B team but never made a senior appearance. Since joining Benfica, though, he has taken his game to the next level and has emerged as one of the best in his positions in Portugal.
Grimaldo has made 240 appearances for the Portuguese giants, scoring 19 goals and setting up 48 more for his teammates. This term, the Spaniard has been in impressive form, having been directly involved in 13 goals in 39 matches across all competitions.
Grimaldo’s contract with Benfica stands to expire in the summer of 2023. As per the report, a contract renewal looks difficult at this point, with the club needing to make some budget cuts amid their financial problems. It could force Benfica to sell him in the upcoming summer transfer window, which will come as a huge boost for Barcelona.
The Blaugrana are in the market for reinforcements in the left-back slot as they look to find a strong competitor for Jordi Alba, who can provide cover for the Spanish international before eventually taking over as the first-choice in due course. It has led to links with Valencia captain Jose Gaya, who is seen as the priority target for the Catalan giants.
However, they are keeping their options open, considering that Gaya is in talks over extending his contract with Los Che. And Grimaldo is someone who Barcelona have identified as a viable alternative. The 26-year-old is well-versed with the philosophies of the Catalans, having spent his youth career at the club.
Grimaldo voiced his intentions to return to Camp Nou not very long ago, which could also be a reason behind contract talks with Benfica not progressing. Due to the situation, the Portuguese heavyweights could be forced to sell the 26-year-old for a fee of around €10-15 million, which would appeal to Barcelona.
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Whether they end up taking advantage of the circumstances at Benfica or decide to continue their pursuit of Gaya remains to be seen.