Real Madrid has finalized a transfer agreement with Chelsea for Marc Cucurella, valued at up to £51.8 million (€60 million/$69.3 million), as confirmed by sources to ESPN.
The deal consists of a base fee of £47.4 million (€55 million/$63.5 million) with an extra £4.3 million (€5 million/$5.7 million) available in performance-related add-ons. The 27-year-old had just signed a new contract at Stamford Bridge last summer, but sources indicate that Cucurella was willing to leave after Chelsea’s disappointing tenth place in the Premier League, which resulted in the team missing out on European competition.
It remains uncertain if Cucurella had discussions with new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso, whose official start date is July 1. However, Real Madrid’s new head coach, Jose Mourinho, is known to hold a strong admiration for the Spanish defender.
Real Madrid has reportedly outmaneuvered rivals such as Barcelona and Atlético Madrid to reach an agreement quickly after an initial verbal understanding was established with the player.
Cucurella has been vocal about his discontent with Chelsea’s decision to dismiss Enzo Maresca in January, arguing that the team functioned more effectively under the Italian’s leadership.
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Since joining Chelsea from Brighton for £60 million (€69.5 million/$80 million) in 2022, Cucurella has made 163 appearances. He was also part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2024, and he is expected to be a key player in the 2026 World Cup.