Real Madrid sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea on six-year deal
Real Madrid have signed Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella on a six-year contract. The move underlines Madrid's rebuild under Jose Mourinho and deepens Chelsea's summer reshuffle.
Real Madrid on Monday announced the signing of Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella on a six-year contract, with the move coming on the day he is set to play for Spain in its opening World Cup match. The BBC reported the fee to be 60 million euros ($70 million).
The 27-year-old could be the first of several signings by Madrid since Jose Mourinho was appointed coach last week and Florentino Prez was re-elected club president. Prez has already said he wants to sign Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konat and Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries.
Cucurella, one of football's most recognisable players because of his long, curly hair, joined Chelsea from Brighton in 2022, the year the London club came under its current American ownership. He went on to establish himself as one of the best left-backs in the world and helped Spain win the European Championship in 2024.
He is part of Spain's squad for the World Cup in North America, with the team's first group-stage match against Cape Verde in Atlanta. Chelsea, meanwhile, are under pressure to sell some of their top players this summer after failing to qualify for any European competition next season.
Cucurella also came under scrutiny after questioning Chelsea's decision to sack manager Enzo Maresca in January. In an interview with The Athletic in March, he said: "The moment Maresca left, it had a big impact on us. These are decisions taken by the club. If you asked me, I would not have made this decision. To make a change like that, the best thing is to wait until the end of the season."
Chelsea struggled in the second half of the season, finishing 10th in the Premier League and losing 8-2 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16. Cucurella began his professional career at Madrid's fierce rivals Barcelona, and also played for Eibar and Getafe before moving to England in 2021 with Brighton. His move to Madrid now adds another major transfer to a summer in which Chelsea are looking to reshape their squad and Madrid are preparing for more changes.
Real Madrid on Monday announced the signing of Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella on a six-year contract, with the move coming on the day he is set to play for Spain in its opening World Cup match. The BBC reported the fee to be 60 million euros ($70 million).
The 27-year-old could be the first of several signings by Madrid since Jose Mourinho was appointed coach last week and Florentino Prez was re-elected club president. Prez has already said he wants to sign Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konat and Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries.
Cucurella, one of football's most recognisable players because of his long, curly hair, joined Chelsea from Brighton in 2022, the year the London club came under its current American ownership. He went on to establish himself as one of the best left-backs in the world and helped Spain win the European Championship in 2024.
He is part of Spain's squad for the World Cup in North America, with the team's first group-stage match against Cape Verde in Atlanta. Chelsea, meanwhile, are under pressure to sell some of their top players this summer after failing to qualify for any European competition next season.
Cucurella also came under scrutiny after questioning Chelsea's decision to sack manager Enzo Maresca in January. In an interview with The Athletic in March, he said: "The moment Maresca left, it had a big impact on us. These are decisions taken by the club. If you asked me, I would not have made this decision. To make a change like that, the best thing is to wait until the end of the season."
Chelsea struggled in the second half of the season, finishing 10th in the Premier League and losing 8-2 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16. Cucurella began his professional career at Madrid's fierce rivals Barcelona, and also played for Eibar and Getafe before moving to England in 2021 with Brighton. His move to Madrid now adds another major transfer to a summer in which Chelsea are looking to reshape their squad and Madrid are preparing for more changes.
