Marc Cucurella Willing To Leave Chelsea: Club Not Blocking Exit For Right Price As La Liga Giants Circle

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella is willing to leave the club this summer amid transfer interest from La Liga giants Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid. The development arrives less than a year after Cucurella signed a new contract with the Blues, and adds to a growing list of potential exits that threatens to reshape Xabi Alonso’s first summer at Stamford Bridge.

Why Cucurella Wants Out: A Season Of Frustration

The La Masia product is willing to leave Chelsea after a frustrating season that saw the club finish 10th in the Premier League. Cucurella signed a new contract at Stamford Bridge last summer. According to club sources, Chelsea are relaxed because he has three years left on his contract. Those sources say Cucurella’s future at the club is yet to be decided, though they would not block his departure if an offer matched their valuation of the full-back.

The Spain international was critical of Chelsea’s strategy back in March and he has been heavily linked with a return to his homeland in recent months, with rumours of a transfer intensifying since the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

In March, Cucurella claimed the Blues have “paid the price” for their questionable recruitment model this season as they have “lacked” experience.

Cucurella has been quiet-quitting since January, but certainly since the end of March. And his performances on the pitch — especially compared to last season — have reflected that.

The frustration runs deeper than just form. Chelsea’s 10th-place finish ended their European campaign — a significant drop for a club of their resources — and left several senior players questioning the direction of the project. Amid uncertainty surrounding the club’s sporting project, Marc Cucurella has reportedly decided to leave Chelsea in the summer of 2026.

Despite this, he is reportedly seeking a return to Spain for family reasons, giving Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona a certain advantage over any other club.

Chelsea’s Position: Relaxed But Not Blocking

The club’s stance is clear and commercially driven. The Blues would only allow him to leave for around $82 million, making his return to La Liga far from straightforward.

Those sources say Cucurella’s future at the club is yet to be decided, though they would not block his departure if an offer matched their valuation of the full-back. Several teams are aware of Cucurella’s situation, with some clubs keeping close tabs.

The position makes financial sense for Chelsea. Cucurella’s contract is also one of the more moveable assets with “just” three years left on it, and he’s one of the oldest members of the squad.

Cucurella will be 28 years old when the 2026-27 season kicks off and although Alonso is reportedly keen to retain his services, it’s understandable why Chelsea would consider a sale. His form has dipped since the departure of Enzo Maresca in January and in the form of Jorrel Hato, Chelsea have already signed a suitable replacement for Cucurella if he does depart.

The Three-Club Race: Atlético, Barcelona And Real Madrid

Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid all want to sign him, and the Spaniard is open to returning to La Liga before the summer transfer window closes.

Atlético Madrid: The Frontrunner

Los Rojiblancos, through sporting director Mateu Alemany, have even contacted the club regarding a possible transfer for Cucurella. Furthermore, Atlético is also the most likely team to secure his signature in the near future, as they don’t need to sell players first to recruit new ones.

According to David G. Medina, via Marca, Álex Baena, Marc Pubill, and Marcos Llorente have been tasked with trying to convince Marc Cucurella to join Atlético Madrid during the 2026 World Cup. By constantly putting pressure on the left-back, they are hoping he will have no doubts and agree to move to their club. This strategy already worked with Julián Álvarez, as Giuliano Simeone and Diego Simeone called him constantly and eventually succeeded in signing him.

The financial gap between Chelsea’s valuation and what Atlético are willing to pay is significant. The Colchoneros believe they can complete Cucurella’s transfer for around $58 million. However, the emergence of Barcelona as a strong contender could complicate their plans, as it could drive up the transfer fee.

Unlike other clubs, Atlético de Madrid do not usually spend large sums on defenders, with Robin Le Normand being their most expensive defensive signing at €40 million. In light of this, the 27-year-old star’s arrival would be quite complicated, as Chelsea do not appear willing to lower their valuation in the summer.

Barcelona: The Emotional Pull

Among those teams are Cucurella’s former side Barcelona — who will likely have to rely on outgoings to get a deal done — as well as the two big Madrid clubs, Atlético and Real.

Barcelona’s long-standing connection with the player adds another layer to the story, while Real Madrid’s involvement highlights how highly his performances have been regarded over the past 12 months.

Manchester City: The Wildcard Option

If Joško Gvardiol is transferred to Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, Manchester City could join the race to sign Marc Cucurella.

The World Cup Factor: Spain Could Drive His Price Higher

With the 2026 World Cup only a few weeks away, both clubs may need to move quickly, or his performances in the tournament could further increase his market value.

Cucurella is part of Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad and was seen attending the press conference for the announcement of new sponsors for the Spain national team at Las Rozas on May 31. A strong tournament showing — following his impressive Euro 2024 campaign — could push his valuation above Chelsea’s current asking price.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are both monitoring the Spain international, whose reputation has soared following an impressive resurgence at club level and a standout Euro 2024 campaign.

Cucurella’s Chelsea Career: A Rollercoaster

Cucurella, who will turn 28 years old in July, has played a key role for the Blues since his arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of €65.3 million in 2022.

Cucurella first joined Chelsea from Brighton in the summer of 2022 for an initial fee of £56 million and has since gone on to feature 163 times for the London club, scoring nine goals and making 11 assists.

After overcoming a difficult start to life in west London, the Spain international has become an important figure for the Blues and one of their most consistent performers. His form over the last year, combined with a strong Euro 2024 campaign, has attracted interest from two of Spain’s biggest clubs.

Chelsea Career Statistics

Cucurella’s revival has significantly changed perceptions of his value. Once heavily criticised following his move from Brighton, he has developed into a reliable starter and a popular figure among Chelsea supporters. That improvement has inevitably increased outside interest.

Does Xabi Alonso Want Him? The Tactical Question

If Alonso opts to deploy the 3-4-3 system that he favoured to great success at Bayer Leverkusen, there isn’t an obvious home for the Spain international. He isn’t particularly well suited to playing as a wide centre-back and his skillset isn’t ideal to play a wing-back role either.

Chelsea are understood to view him as an important part of their defensive structure. His technical ability and comfort in possession fit the profile of player expected to thrive under new head coach Xabi Alonso.

That tension — Alonso valuing him in principle but his system not naturally accommodating him — is at the heart of the uncertainty. Chelsea have a replacement in the building but a manager who may still want options.

The Bigger Chelsea Exodus: Cucurella Is Not Alone

In addition to Cucurella, Enzo Fernandez is also eager to leave Chelsea this summer, amid rumoured interest from Real Madrid, while the 2021 Champions League winners are keen to sanction the sales of Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho, Benoit Badiashile, Tyrique George, Axel Disasi, and several others.

Alonso will have a lot of major decisions to make this summer, with Chelsea inevitably having to offload some players to balance the books after missing out on European qualification with a tenth-place finish in the Premier League.

Chelsea’s Potential Summer Departures

What The Sale Would Mean For Chelsea Financially

He’ll be turning 28 later this summer and while it’s unlikely that he would command £55m in the market again like Chelsea overpaid to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022, the club has been pretty good at negotiating outgoing transfer fees even against odds and expectations, and that could certainly be helpful for their ever-concerning bottom line.

With Chelsea having missed out on European football after a 10th-place finish, the financial pressure of reduced broadcast income makes Cucurella’s valuation — if achieved — a genuinely impactful piece of summer business for the club.

Read More: Denzel Dumfries To Real Madrid: Deal Done As Spanish Giants Trigger €20M Release Clause

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