Alonso stands in the way

Atletico Madrid are preparing to revive their long-standing interest in Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella this summer, with the Spanish international understood to be open to returning to his home country despite incoming Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso reportedly viewing him as an integral part of his plans at Stamford Bridge, according to Mundo Deportivo via SportWitness.

Cucurella’s future at Chelsea has become one of the more intriguing subplots of what promises to be a busy summer window at the club. The 27-year-old still has two years remaining on his contract, which under normal circumstances would give Chelsea considerable leverage. The complicating factor is the player himself. He is keen on a return to Spain, and Atletico’s renewed push comes at a moment when the conditions for a transfer are more aligned than at any previous point in his time in England.

Chelsea are expected to request around €50 million for the full-back, a fee Atletico are said to have the funds to meet. Diego Simeone considers Cucurella a perfect fit for his system and wants to bring him to the Metropolitano as competition for Matteo Ruggeri at left-back.

Marc Cucurella’s journey to becoming one of Chelsea’s key players

Cucurella came through the Barcelona academy before making his name with Brighton, who he joined in the summer of 2021. His debut campaign at the Amex was impressive enough to attract Chelsea’s attention, and the London club paid £56 million plus bonuses to bring him to Stamford Bridge. The first period at Chelsea was turbulent, the adjustment to a new environment and a club in transition creating difficulties that took time to work through. Once he found his footing, however, Cucurella established himself as one of the more reliable performers in a squad that has been anything but consistent.

This season he registered five goal contributions across 49 appearances, demonstrating the attacking threat that has made him effective for both club and country. His defensive solidity and comfort in possession make him well-suited to the demands of a high-line system, which is partly why Simeone is so keen on adding him to his squad.

Why Xabi Alonso’s arrival complicates the Marc Cucurella transfer

The most significant obstacle for Atletico is not the fee, it is Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard, confirmed as Chelsea manager from July 1, has reportedly made clear that he does not want Cucurella to leave. Having a manager who wants to keep a player and a player who wants to leave creates an immediate tension heading into a summer that Alonso will need to resolve before he has even taken his first training session.

Atletico’s experience of pursuing Cucurella goes back to before his move to Brighton, when they were previously interested and the deal did not materialise. They have been waiting for another opportunity, and the combination of the player’s desire to return to Spain and Chelsea’s uncertain direction heading into a managerial transition has created the clearest window yet. Whether Alonso has the authority and the persuasive capability to convince Cucurella that the Chelsea project under his management is worth staying for will be the defining question of one of the summer’s most compelling transfer situations.