Bayer Leverkusen have collected seven points from their last three league games since a bitter opening defeat at Elversberg, and the left-back has been central to the recovery.
The 25-year-old, who joined from Napoli in the summer for €26 million, has three assists and one goal after four Bundesliga games, a remarkable return for a full-back.
Some Bayer fans worried whether he could fill the gap left by Grimaldo, the 31-year-old who moved to Atlético Madrid. On Sunday, Gutiérrez answered that question in the 2-0 win over RB Leipzig at the BayArena. His cross from the left set up Patrik Schick to open the scoring in the 44th minute, and he made it 2-0 in the 57th with his first Bundesliga goal, after arriving late in the area and finishing from a deflected shot.
Sporting director Simon Rolfes was quick to praise him: “He is very game-smart and the crosses are also top.”
Rolfes also confirmed to kicker that Gutiérrez had long been on the club's list of replacements: “He was always our candidate if Alejandro Grimaldo ever left. He was always our preferred solution, and we were already in contact about this last year.”
Head coach Carles Martínez was just as complimentary, and highlighted his tactical understanding: “He is tactically very clever. He knows when to go out, when to go with the play and when to stay back.”
Gutiérrez himself is enjoying the move. He says: “I am very happy, it is very easy to play in this team. They are all very good.”
The former Spain under-21 international hopes his performances can earn him a place in the senior national team, although he knows the competition is fierce: “Of course that is a goal, but at the moment it is difficult, because they have just won the World Cup.”
Spain's triumph in the summer means there will be no quick route into the squad, but the numbers show that the replacement has adjusted quickly: three assists and a goal in four league games.