Spanish giants Futbol Club Barcelona are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella Saseta as the club continues plans to strengthen its defensive options ahead of the new season.
Reports in Spain indicate Barcelona sporting director, Anderson Luís de Souza commonly known as Deco has already held discussions through intermediaries close to the player as the Catalan club assesses the feasibility of a potential move for the Spain international.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is also believed to be an admirer of Cucurella’s versatility, work rate and experience, with the Chelsea left-back emerging as one of the profiles under consideration as the club looks to reinforce the left side of defence.
However, Barcelona’s financial situation and current squad structure are expected to play a major role in determining whether the club can advance its interest into formal negotiations. Reports suggest the La Liga champions would likely need to sell a defender before making a serious move for Cucurella during the summer transfer window.
The 27-year-old defender is also attracting strong interest from Atletico Madrid, who are understood to be monitoring his situation closely as Diego Simeone looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the new campaign.
Cucurella enjoyed an impressive season with Chelsea and played a key role for both club and country, further enhancing his reputation after helping Spain win UEFA Euro 2024. His performances have reportedly reignited interest from several clubs in Spain, where he previously played for Barcelona’s academy as well as Getafe and Brighton before moving to Stamford Bridge.
Despite speculation surrounding his future, Chelsea are not believed to be actively pushing Cucurella out of the club. The final decision could depend on the plans of incoming manager Xabi Alonso and Chelsea’s wider squad restructuring ahead of next season.
The defender remains under contract at Chelsea, placing the Premier League side in a strong negotiating position should any club decide to formalize their interest in the coming weeks.
Barcelona’s interest is still considered to be at an exploratory stage, with no official bid submitted yet, while Atletico Madrid continue to remain firmly in the race for the Spanish full-back.
Source: Newspyramid.com
