Barcelona plan to step up talks to sign Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella, according to reports in Spain.
Cucurella is about to complete his fourth season at Chelsea after joining in a £60 million deal from Brighton in 2022.
The 27-year-old, who came through Espanyol’s academy before moving to Barcelona, has been one of Chelsea’s standout performers in a difficult season in which the team could miss out on European football altogether.
Chelsea have now reached an agreement to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new manger and the 44-year-old will take up his position in July.
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However, Alonso could be without one of Chelsea’s senior figures in the dressing room next season as Barcelona are looking to negotiate a deal for Cucurella next week.
Speaking on the Solo para Cules podcast, El Chiringuito’s Jota Jordi claimed that Cucurella will return to La Liga this summer with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid named as the defender’s two options.
‘Starting Monday there will be movement,’ Jordi said.
‘Cucurella is 100 per cent committed to Chelsea. He’s the captain, an important figure in the dressing room, and he’s very grateful to the club.
‘Starting Monday, some movement from Barca to his representatives is expected, and from there we can tell you more.
‘Obviously, today I could say with 1000 per cent certainty that Cucurella won’t play for Chelsea. He’ll play here in Spain, there are two clubs, Barca and Atletico Madrid, and I hope and wish that Barca makes the right moves so that he ends up playing for Barca.’
In an interview in March, Cucurella admitted that a move to Barcelona would be ‘hard to turn down’.
‘Spain is always Spain. It is where I grew up and you always think about going back,’ Cucurella said.
‘But I wouldleave it for a few years down the line. I am very happy here and it is a great life experience.’
Asked specifically about a return to Barcelona, Cucurella said: ‘It is clear if that situation did arise, it is hard to turn down, but I would have to consider it in the end.
‘It is not just me, I also have to think about my family and together we would have to decide what’s best for us.
‘As I have said before, right now I am not thinking about that. If it comes, it will come, and we will see what decision is made.’
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