Cucurella on the verge of joining Real Madrid

Marc Cucurella is on the verge of joining Real Madrid.

More than that, the deal appears to be moving rapidly toward completion. An agreement is said to be nearly finalized, although it remains verbal for now. That’s significant progress, but the most important step is still missing: the signature.

Cucurella wants to leave Chelsea this summer. Even with the boost that Xabi Alonso’s arrival could bring, the club will not be playing in Europe next season, and the Spain international has long made it clear that he would like to return home.

Barcelona and Atlético Madrid had both been moving closer to the player in recent weeks. Then Real Madrid entered the picture, and everything changed.

The move is now one of the hottest stories of the summer transfer window and, according to reports, it is a direct request from new coach José Mourinho.

That has been a decisive factor, just as Mourinho has been in several other moves currently being explored by the club. He pushed for Denzel Dumfries and requested Bernardo Silva. Now he has identified Cucurella as another priority.

Mourinho reportedly wants Álvaro Carreras and Cucurella as his left-back options. If that plan materializes, it would leave Ferland Mendy and Fran García in uncertain positions, with both players potentially available on the transfer market.

The proposed transfer fee is expected to be around €50 million, with Cucurella signing a four-year contract. That is the framework of the agreement currently in place.

From zero to one hundred

The speed of the operation has surprised many.

Cucurella had been on Real Madrid’s radar for months, but he was one of several names under consideration. Mourinho’s backing appears to have tipped the balance decisively in his favor.

Once the Portuguese coach identified him as his preferred target, Real Madrid moved aggressively.

Chelsea’s asking price was believed to be around €50 million, and that figure remains the basis of the verbal agreement currently being discussed.

Barcelona or Atlético?

That had been the question for weeks.

When asked recently about his future during an interview with El Partidazo, Cucurella refused to reveal his plans.

“Pass,” he replied.

One thing, however, seemed certain: he wanted to return to Spain.

Barcelona and Atlético both began exploring a potential move through conversations, contacts and preliminary discussions. For a time, his future appeared likely to lie with one of those clubs.

Then Real Madrid entered the race.

And everything was turned upside down.

(Developing story.)