- 14 hours ago
Liverpool target admits he would follow Alonso to next club
Tom Weber
- Updated: 20 Apr 2024 14:34 BST
- 4 min read
Alejandro Grimaldo has admitted that he wants to keep playing under Xabi Alonso, either at Bayer Leverkusen or elsewhere.
The Spanish left-back has emerged as one of Europe's most dangerous players in his position. His unbelievable set-piece delivery and incessant urge to get forward has seen him rack up a ridiculous 11 goals and 16 assists across all competitions this term.
Having played a massive role in Bayer 04 claiming their first-ever Bundesliga title, Grimaldo has unsurprisingly become a sought-after commodity. FootballTransfers exclusively revealed last week that Arsenal and Liverpool have joined Bayern Munich in taking a keen interest in Grimaldo.
STATS
Alejandro Grimaldo
D, M (L)
Bayer 04
Alejandro Grimaldo
D, M (L)
Bayer 04
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The Spain international, a former La Masia product, has also publically flirted with Spain's giants in recent months, insisting that he would like to return to Barcelona one day but also admitting that it would be difficult to turn down a move to Real Madrid.
Now, the 28-year-old has once again spoken about his future and he admitted that it could be linked to Xabi Alonso's.
Grimaldo thriving under Alonso
The Bayer 04 boss has turned a free transfer signing into one of the biggest coups in recent Bundesliga history and Grimaldo knows that he owes his newfound prominence to Alonso. Without him, the left-back perhaps would never have become a senior Spain international, making his debut last November.
Speaking to Esquire, Grimaldo revealed that Alonso was crucial in luring him from Benfica to Leverkusen. "Xabi Alonso contacts me, that's where the change occurs. He does it two, three times, he was very interested. And in the end what I wanted was for not only the club to be interested in me, but for the coach to bet on me, who in the end is the one who is going to give you confidence and make you grow."
"It is clear that I have a very special relationship with him [Alonso], I have grown a lot as a player with him and I want to grow more with him and it is true that I would like to continue at his side, be it at Bayer Leverkusen or somewhere else."
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“I'm not thinking about [the future] now. I want to win titles, I want to finish the season in a big way, go to the European Championship. In the future you never know what can happen, you have to analyse everything, if you want to do new projects, see if what I have done in Leverkusen is the closed chapter or if I want to continue it."
"I am very happy this year there. I am really enjoying the club, the people. In the summer after the Euro, we will sit down to see what the next step is, if it is to continue in Leverkusen or to go somewhere else."
