Chelsea got deal done just in time to avoid multi-million Marc Cucurella loss - verdict
Chelsea will have breathed a sigh of relief for selling Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid after his performance in Spain’s 0-0 draw against Cape Verde on Monday.
The left-back signed for Real Madrid on Monday, with the Blues reportedly pocketing £51.8million from the sale.
However, less than 24 hours later, he was part of the Spain side that drew 0-0 to Cape Verde, damaging their World Cup ambitions.
Therefore, Chelsea have potentially saved themselves millions by confirming the sale before Spain’s tournament kicked off in what now seems smart business.
Cucurella was particularly poor against a Cape Verde side that is ranked 67th in the world and have now picked up their first-ever point in the tournament.
Now, Spain have massive work to do if they are to top Group H, which also includes Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Marc Cucurella was poor vs Cape Verde
Much of Spain’s team was shocking vs Cape Verde, but Cucurella’s display was a particular sour note.
The left-back struggled to create regular chances in the final third and was even poorer when it came to defending, which drew plenty of criticism from the press.
Such a display would have been a massive concern to Real Madrid, who just completed the signing, and his performance could have knocked millions off his value.
Therefore, Chelsea will be particularly pleased that the deal was finalised before Spain’s tournament began, or the transfer fee could have ended up being under £50m if he keeps these types of displays up throughout the 2026 World Cup.
Who could replace Cucurella at Chelsea?
New manager Xabi Alonso could face a difficult task attempting to replace Cucurella at Chelsea this summer.
However, one player who could make a move into the left back spot in Jorrel Hato.
The 20-year-old was signed as back-up to Cucurella last summer, but has since mainly featured at centre-back.
However, Alonso could now look to play him in his more natural position and save the funds brought in from the Cucurella sale to invest elsewhere.
Nevertheless, it remains to be seen what Chelsea chooses to do in this summer transfer window, with the club in need of a rebuild after they missed out on European football this campaign.