Why did Barcelona allow Grimaldo to leave for Benfica?

Alejandro Grimaldo joined Barcelona from Valencia in 2008 with the promise of being the club’s future left-back. A natural talent, he was an obvious fit for the club’s style of play.

However, on Dec. 29 of 2015, he left for Benfica. His Barça B goodbye had been a while in the making and it was down to several reasons. 

Now, with both Manchester City and Manchester United tracking the defender, among other clubs, those reasons have been called into question. 

Contract: Grimaldo’s terms with Barça were due to expire in 2016. The club has sounded out his agents regarding a possible extension, but they weren’t interested. The player left the club six months before his deal ended. 

Sporting: During his time with Barça, Grimaldo suffered two serious injuries and had a number of muscle problems which stunted his progression. In October of 2015, he also criticised first team coach Luis Enrique, comparing he’d never spoke with him and bemoaning that lack of communication. He was also annoyed about a lack of opportunities in the first team. 

Non-sporting: Grimaldo was involved in a number of episodes which violated the club’s internal code of conduct. There are various reports in which the club recommended he change his attitude, advising him that some of his habits were not healthy nor compatible with those expected from a professional footballer.