Napoli's Miguel Gutiérrez has emerged as the leading candidate ahead of Marseille's Facundo Medina to replace Alejandro Grimaldo on the left side of defence.
Grimaldo left Bayer Leverkusen for Atlético Madrid this summer in a €25m deal after three years in which he scored 30 goals in 145 competitive appearances, leaving the Bundesliga champions needing a like-for-like creative outlet on the left flank.
According to Sky, talks between Leverkusen and Napoli are at an advanced stage, with Gutiérrez seen internally as the preferred option given his attacking profile. Bayer are said to have tabled an official offer worth between €20m and €25m, with the decision now resting with the Serie A champions, where the Spaniard is under contract until 2030 — though Napoli are understood to have already rejected an opening €25m bid, valuing the 25-year-old closer to €30m.
Gutiérrez came through Real Madrid's academy before a €11m move to Girona in 2022, then joined Napoli last summer, where he made 36 appearances last season, contributing one goal and one assist.
What happens with Medina remains unresolved. The Argentina international, who reached this year's World Cup final, would happily move to Leverkusen and offers greater tactical flexibility, capable of playing either at left-back or in a back three, but recent reporting suggests he was primarily under consideration for the same left-back slot that Gutiérrez's signing would fill — leaving his path into the squad unclear unless Bayer opt to pursue both defenders as part of a broader rebuild of the position, a move some reports suggest head coach Carles Martínez would welcome.
Medina, formerly of River Plate and Lens before joining Marseille, made 22 Ligue 1 appearances last season without scoring, though he registered one assist and has become an increasingly versatile option across defensive positions.