Real Madrid beat Barcelona and Atlético for Cucurella after Bernardo Silva
Real Madrid stands out as one of the main protagonists of the transfer market, which has barely officially started and already has the World Cup underway, a period frequently used by the club to secure big names. The team led by Florentino Pérez demonstrates agility in rebuilding a squad that presented difficulties last season. This Sunday, the agreement with Chelsea for full-back Marc Cucurella, valued at around 50 million euros, came to light, which should be the Merengues’ fourth signing for the 2026-27 season. Still in the middle of the campaign, Florentino had already communicated the agreements with Konaté (free of charge) and Dumfries (20 million euros), in addition to the announcement, the previous week, of the arrival of Bernardo Silva, which also comes after the end of his contract with the former club.
In negotiations involving the Portuguese midfielder and full-back Cucurella, the Madrid team demonstrated its strength by overcoming its two biggest competitors in Spain, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid, both interested in the athletes. The player who still belonged to Manchester City, Bernardo Silva, had long been speculated about at the Catalan club, with Atlético joining the dispute in recent weeks, given the end of his contract with the English team. However, Real Madrid, despite having entered the talks late, prevailed forcefully in the dispute against their opponents, sealing a three-year contract with Silva, a reinforcement who has the support of José Mourinho, another significant novelty at Real Madrid compared to the previous season.
How Marc Cucurella arrives at Real Madrid and his expectations
Mourinho’s influence was also decisive for the club to invest in signing Cucurella, an athlete coveted by both Barcelona (where he was trained in the youth teams) and Atlético, who have been looking for a reliable left-back for some time after several failed attempts. The name of the then Chelsea player had been linked to both the Culés and the Rojiblancos, but the shirt he will wear from August 15th, the date scheduled for the start of the Spanish League, will be white, if the negotiations already underway with Chelsea (45 million fixed euros plus five in variables) are successful.
Cucurella is expected to sign for a period of five seasons, arriving to resolve one of Real Madrid’s most visible flaws in 2025-26, where Carreras (signed for 50 million euros last summer) failed to establish himself, with Fran García finishing the season ahead of the Galician player. Furthermore, the signing aims to overcome the constant physical problems of Ferland Mendy, who is unable to maintain the expected regularity.
Marc Cucurella’s unusual trajectory from La Masía to Real Madrid
If the negotiation is finalized, as anticipated yesterday by journalists specialized in the market such as Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto, Cucurella, 27 years old, will complete an atypical journey in Spanish football: from the famous La Masía to the imposing Santiago Bernabéu. The Catalan full-back played for Barcelona’s first team, at whose base he completed his training after a six-year period at Espanyol, before being loaned out twice (Eibar and Getafe) and, finally, moving on to the Premier League. Brighton & Hove Albion signed him in 2021 for 18 million euros. A single season sent him to one of England’s giants, Chelsea, who paid 68 million euros for a player who became one of the favorites of the blue fans.
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Last Friday, Cucurella was highlighted by the Spanish team on the cover of the newspaper MARCA. Journalists from the newspaper questioned him about his future, given the large amount of news that associated him with other clubs, with Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid being prominently mentioned.
Highlight in the selection and Cucurella’s stance on market rumors
The defender shared his strategy for staying apart from rumors. “I read little and pay little attention. My agents already know that they don’t need to tell me anything. I’m very happy where I am and so is my family. Whatever comes will come. At the moment, I’m focused on the World Cup and enjoying this experience, which is the first and, who knows, whether it will be the last.”
The national team, in fact, acted as a great booster for Cucurella’s popularity among Spanish fans. A key player in the Euro Cup won in 2024, he is seen as an absolute starter in the World Cup that begins today for the team in Atlanta. In addition to his performance, his image marked by his long hair and charisma, evident during the European title celebrations in Madrid, made him one of the team’s most beloved players. However, it is his football that really makes him valued by everyone. Once again, it seems to be a clash in which Real Madrid emerged victorious.
