The Bundesliga champions secured the technically gifted Spaniard for €30 million, landing a creative specialist whose tactical versatility and attacking output perfectly mirror the influential role vacated by Grimaldo.
Bayer Leverkusen have secured one of their priority targets for the left side of defence, with Miguel Gutiérrez set to join the Bundesliga club from Napoli in a deal worth €30 million.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Napoli have now verbally accepted Bayer Leverkusen's latest proposal, with the clubs reaching an agreement for the Spanish full-back. The move paves the way for Gutiérrez to become Alejandro Grimaldo's direct successor following the latter's summer transfer to Atlético Madrid.
Leverkusen had been evaluating several profiles to strengthen the position after Grimaldo's departure. Marseille defender Facundo Medina was among the names under consideration, with Bayer viewing the Argentine primarily as a left-sided centre-back capable of covering multiple defensive roles rather than as a like-for-like attacking full-back. Ultimately, the club opted for a specialist left-back in Gutiérrez, whose profile closely matches the style that made Grimaldo such an influential figure at the BayArena.
The 25-year-old arrives after establishing himself as one of La Liga's most technically gifted full-backs. A graduate of Real Madrid's academy, Gutiérrez first made his breakthrough with Girona, where he flourished under Míchel in a possession-based system that frequently saw him invert into midfield during the build-up before making dangerous underlapping runs into the final third.
His ability to dictate play from deeper areas, progress the ball through midfield and consistently create chances quickly attracted interest from several of Europe's biggest clubs. Rather than functioning as a traditional overlapping full-back, Gutiérrez developed into one of Spain's most complete modern defenders, combining composure in possession with outstanding vision and creativity.
Those qualities convinced Napoli to bring him to Serie A, but after just one season in Italy, Bayer Leverkusen moved decisively to secure his signature as they continue reshaping the squad under new head coach Carles Martínez.
The Spaniard's arrival represents more than simply filling a vacancy. Replacing a player of Grimaldo's quality was always expected to be one of Leverkusen's biggest challenges this summer. Few full-backs across Europe combine technical quality, creativity and attacking output at the level Grimaldo consistently produced during his time in Germany.
Gutiérrez, however, offers a profile capable of preserving many of those attacking dynamics. Comfortable receiving under pressure, progressing possession through central areas and delivering quality in the final third, he appears tailor-made for Martínez's possession-oriented philosophy.
The signing also signals Bayer's ambition despite several key departures this summer. Rather than settling for a short-term solution, the Bundesliga club has invested heavily in one of Europe's most promising left-backs, believing he can become a cornerstone of their new project.
With a verbal agreement now in place between Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli, only the final formalities remain before Miguel Gutiérrez officially becomes the club's new left-back, completing one of the Bundesliga's standout transfers of the summer.
