Chelsea flop Marc Cucurella is reportedly keen to leave Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window and could be set for a January move to Real Madrid.
According to The Sun, Marc Cucurella is reportedly eyeing a move away from Chelsea in the January transfer window after being “fed up” due to the lack of game time under Mauricio Pochettino, with Real Madrid seemingly his next destination.
Cucurella, who arrived at Chelsea from Brighton in a £62 million deal in the previous summer, has endured a difficult 12 months or so in west London. He has not featured in a single Premier League match this season. His only appearance for the Blues came in a Carabao Cup second-round fixture against League Two side AFC Wimbledon.
He was the subject of strong late interest from Manchester United this summer due to an injury crisis at Old Trafford, but Erik ten Hag’s side ultimately opted to sign his compatriot Sergio Reguillon on loan from Tottenham instead after talks with Chelsea over a deal for Cucurella stalled.
As per the above report, Cucurella is “gutted” he couldn’t join Manchester United, but he may still have an option to leave Chelsea during the next transfer window. The lack of opportunities has left the 25-year-old frustrated, forcing him to explore potential exit options ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.
The defender made 33 appearances for the club across all competitions last season but is now “ready to call it quits” at Stamford Bridge if his playing time does not improve in the Premier League, with Real Madrid “quietly monitoring” the Spaniard’s situation.
Madrid have signed plenty of players from Chelsea over the years, including the likes of Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard, and Antonio Rudiger. They also snapped up goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from the Blues on a season-long loan last summer.
Now, Cucurella may get the chance to reunite with Spanish teammate Kepa for the second half of the campaign, with Los Blancos weighing up a winter swoop.
The Merengues currently have Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia as their main options at left-back, but neither of them have been convincing enough to nail down the starting spot, and Real Madrid could make a move for Cucurella if they feel the need for more cover in the position.
Although he might be a figure of ridicule in England, Cucurella is still highly regarded back in his homeland, having previously developed in Barcelona’s La Masia academy and played in La Liga for the likes of Eibar and Getafe before joining Brighton in 2021.
At Chelsea, Pochettino can also call upon the services of Ben Chilwell or Ian Maatsen, both of whom have featured more frequently and have blocked Cucurella’s path into the first team.
Cucurella is still under contract in west London until 2028, but at his age, he will not be too keen on remaining away from the pitch for too long and surely has international ambitions with Euro 2024 on the horizon.
It may be best for all parties if he moves on, either on a loan or a permanent basis, during the forthcoming transfer window.
