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.
