Real Madrid continues its preparations for the upcoming season. Following the confirmed signing of Dean Huijsen and the impending official announcement of Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Meringues are assessing other areas that need strengthening. Further squad changes and new signings are anticipated in the capital. These reinforcements aim to enhance the quality of a team that fell significantly short of its objectives this past season.
With the arrivals of Huijsen and Arnold addressing the needs at centre-back and right-back respectively, the focus now appears to be on the left-back position. This area currently relies on Mendy and Fran García and is considered a priority for the club to bolster. Several names are on Real Madrid`s shortlist, and one player has openly expressed his interest in joining the 15-time European champions.
Alejandro Grimaldo, a Key Candidate
The player who has publicly shown interest in Real Madrid is Alejandro Grimaldo. He is one of the left-backs highly admired at `La Casa Blanca`. The 29-year-old Valencian already knows the incoming coach, Xabi Alonso, and shares an excellent relationship with him from their time together at Leverkusen. The coach from Tolosa is a big admirer of Grimaldo and sees him as a key component in the three-centre-back, two-wing-back system he intends to implement at Real Madrid.
In an interview with `El Chiringuito`, the full-back discussed his future, his potential move to Real Madrid, his idols, and his early life and career beginnings.
“It`s a source of pride that a team like Real Madrid wants to sign me”
The defender, who has been capped 10 times by the Spanish national team, did not shy away from questions about his future next season and a potential move to the white club.
My name as a candidate to sign for Real Madrid? It truly makes me very happy. It`s a source of pride. It makes me very happy that a team like Madrid… or that people even think I`m at the level to play for the biggest clubs in the world,` the Valencian player stated. He added, `That`s what I`m working for, and that`s the ambition I have. That`s what I want. I have never denied that I want to play for the best teams in the world.
When pressed about a possible move from Leverkusen to Madrid, Grimaldo commented: `Bayer Leverkusen is a very strong team, but well… My idea and my dream is to return to Spain. Would I like to play for Real Madrid? What I want is to play for the best teams in the world. If the opportunity to play for a big team arises, I will try to take it. That`s what I want and what I`ve fought for since I left for Barcelona at the age of 12.`
Difficult Moments in Childhood
Grimaldo left home at a very young age to start his football journey. At 12, he joined the FC Barcelona youth academy where he began developing into the footballer he is today. However, not all moments were easy, and he recalls his parents` suffering: `Looking back today, if my parents could go back, they would never have let me go to Barcelona. As parents, they lose a lot, and the child does too. Many moments of seeing your child grow up day by day. You change and mature being alone, but you miss out on a lot of your family and friends. These aren`t easy moments, but I`m happy with how everything turned out and the decision I made,` concluded the, for now, Bayer Leverkusen player.
