In an unexpected turn that has ignited social networks and generated a wave of euphoria among the culé fans, Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, ​​would be preparing a bomb operation for the winter market: allocating up to 30 million euros to repatriate a former star of the club trained at La Masia.

Sources close to the Blaugrana president assure that Laporta sees in this return the key piece that Hansi Flick’s scheme is missing to consolidate the sporting project and aspire to all the titles in the second half of the season.

The player in question is none other than Alejandro Grimaldo, the 29-year-old left back who is currently shining for Bayer Leverkusen.

Trained in the Barcelona youth academy, Grimaldo left the club in 2016 for Benfica and, since then, he has experienced a spectacular evolution that has turned him into one of the best offensive full-backs in the world.

His performance in the Bundesliga – where he was key to Leverkusen’s undefeated title last season – has powerfully caught the attention of Laporta, who, according to people close to him, would have declared privately: “The time has come for this star to return to the Camp Nou!”

This news comes at a sweet moment for Barça, which under the direction of Hansi Flick leads LaLiga with authority and is advancing steadily in the Champions League.

However, the German coach has identified the left wing as an area susceptible to improvement, especially given the competition from Alejandro Balde and the need for quality rotations in a demanding schedule.

The perfect profile for Flick: Grimaldo, the evolution of a youth squad

Alejandro Grimaldo made his debut with the Barça first team in 2015, but the fierce competition at left back – with Jordi Alba as the undisputed starter – led him to seek minutes in Portugal.

At Benfica he established himself as a modern full-back: defensively solid, but especially lethal in attack.

His numbers speak for themselves: in recent seasons he has averaged more than 10 goals and 10 assists per campaign, figures typical of a winger.

At Bayer Leverkusen, under the command of Xabi Alonso, he reached his peak performance: 12 goals and 19 assists in 2024-25, contributing decisively to the Bundesliga and Cup double.

His ability to join the attack, cross with surgical precision and take free kicks make him the ideal complement to the possession and vertical style that Hansi Flick preaches.

Laporta and Deco have been monitoring Grimaldo’s contractual situation for months. Although his contract with Leverkusen expires in 2027, the German club faces difficulties in renewing it due to the player’s salary demands and the interest of several European giants.

The Spaniard’s market value is around 30-35 million euros, but Barça are confident of negotiating downwards, taking advantage of Grimaldo’s expressed desire to return home.

Sources close to the player assure that he has never hidden his dream of returning to the Camp Nou and succeeding with the shirt that gave him his footballing birth.

Why now? Laporta’s strategic vision

Joan Laporta, always ambitious in the market, sees in Grimaldo not only an immediate sporting reinforcement, but an operation with multiple benefits. First, the return of a youth player fits perfectly into the philosophy of recovering talent trained at La Masia.

Second, his arrival would raise the level of the squad without breaking the financial fair play: the 30 million would be financed with pending extraordinary income (such as the last payments for the Espai Barça VIP boxes) and possible departures in winter.

Furthermore, Flick has given his full blessing to the operation. The German, who has already made the most of players like Balde and Koundé on the left wing, needs an elite competitor to maintain the intensity during the final stretch of the season.

Grimaldo would provide depth, experience in European competitions and an offensive plus that could be decisive in key duels against rivals such as Real Madrid or Manchester City.

The expectant fans are already imagining lineups with Grimaldo projecting from the left, assisting Lewandowski or Yamal, or even scoring from the second line. On social networks, the hashtag #GrimaldoVuelve has exploded, with thousands of culés celebrating the possible repatriation of one of the most complete full-backs on the continent.

Obstacles and competition

Not everything is simple. Bayer Leverkusen does not want to part with its star in the middle of the season, especially after a recent investment in the squad.

Clubs such as Manchester City, PSG and Liverpool have also shown interest in the past, although the emotional factor of returning to Barcelona works in Barça’s favor.

Laporta, however, is determined. In internal meetings with Deco and the technical staff, he insisted that this is “the perfect opportunity” to close an exciting signing without mortgaging the future.

If negotiations progress as expected, the announcement could occur in the first weeks of January, coinciding with the opening of the winter market.

Reactions in the locker room and among the fans

Hansi Flick, discreet as always, would have conveyed his enthusiasm to the board: “It is the profile we need to be even more dominant.” Players like Pedri and Gavi, Grimaldo’s teammates in the lower categories, have privately celebrated the possibility of reuniting with their friend.

The fans, for their part, live hours of maximum excitement. After the return to the Spotify Camp Nou and the great sporting moment, the possible return of Grimaldo would be the icing on the cake for a project that, under Laporta and Flick, seems destined for great things.

If it comes to fruition, this signing would not only strengthen the squad, but it would send a clear message to European football: Barça has returned, and it does so by recovering its prodigal sons. Visit Barça!