Alejandro Grimaldo was one of the options considered by FC Barcelona to strengthen the left-back position in the summer transfer window.
Barcelona are willing to listen to offers for Alejandro Balde and reshape that role, with the 22-year-old left-back attracting strong interest from Aston Villa.
Grimaldo, to that end, had emerged as an option for Barça, along with Andrea Cambiaso of Juventus.
Grimaldo moves away from Barcelona
However, according to Sky Germany (h/t SPORT) Grimaldo has already reached a full agreement with Besiktas after receiving a lucrative offer, and negotiations between the clubs have begun.
Grimaldo had already been an option for Barcelona last summer when Gerard Martin was linked with a move to the Premier League.
The 24-year-old ultimately rejected the proposal from Wolves and chose not to consider offers, which halted the Grimaldo operation.
Headed to Besiktas. (Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images)
This year, the player again made himself available and was seen as a profile that could fit, although he was aware that he was not a priority. Both he and his entourage were open to offers, and the Besiktas proposal appears to have convinced him.
According to the report, the Turkish club’s sporting director, Eduard Graf, personally met with Grimaldo and his representatives in Germany to present their sporting and financial proposal. And the left-back has given his approval.
Grimaldo will have just one year remaining on his contract with Bayer Leverkusen this summer, and his transfer fee could be around €15 million.
This valuation made him an attractive option in the market, and Barcelona had considered him in the event of Balde’s departure.
However, as mentioned earlier, the club are also assessing other options they consider more appealing, such as Cambiaso of Juventus, although no concrete steps have been taken.