Mourinho Targets Cucurella for Real Madrid's Summer Plans

Jose Mourinho has not taken charge of a single Real Madrid training session yet, but his fingerprints are already starting to appear on the club’s summer planning.

The Portuguese coach, never shy about reshaping a squad to his taste, is understood to be casting a particularly sharp eye over the left side of Madrid’s defence. At the top of his early wish list: Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella.

Mourinho’s eye on Cucurella

According to journalist Ruben Canizares, Mourinho is closely monitoring Cucurella’s situation at Stamford Bridge as the Spaniard edges towards a crossroads in his Chelsea career. His future in London is increasingly unclear, and those around him sense that this summer may be the right moment to move.

Cucurella, 25, is believed to be open to a new challenge. His entourage consider a fee in the region of €45-50 million to be a fair price for any buying club, and anything significantly above that is viewed on their side as unrealistic.

For a defender with Premier League and La Liga experience, that valuation will tempt big clubs. It already has.

Barcelona in the background

Cucurella’s name has quietly reappeared on the desks of several European heavyweights in recent weeks. Real Madrid are one of them, tracking developments but yet to make a formal decision on whether to move.

Barcelona are another. The Catalan club, where Cucurella once came through the ranks, are also following the situation. Their interest, though, is tied to a familiar constraint: finances. Any attempt to bring him back would depend heavily on outgoings and room within their budget, a recurring theme at Camp Nou in recent windows.

Madrid’s position is different. On paper, they are already stocked at left-back. In practice, that does not entirely satisfy Mourinho.

Existing options under scrutiny

Alvaro Carreras arrived last summer with high expectations, but reports indicate Mourinho is not fully convinced that the current options are enough for the standards he wants to impose. Carreras remains part of the squad picture, yet the incoming coach sees scope – and perhaps necessity – for an upgrade or at least stiffer competition on that flank.

That perspective naturally pulls Cucurella into focus. A combative, energetic full-back who can operate high and wide, he offers the kind of experience and intensity Mourinho has often trusted in his teams.

Cucurella, for his part, is ready to leave Chelsea if the right project and the right offer arrive. The Premier League side, facing their own squad and balance-sheet considerations, could be open to a deal at the figures being discussed.

The Real Madrid dilemma

For Madrid, the move is not as simple as admiring the player and writing the cheque. They already have three left-backs in the squad, which means any serious push for Cucurella would likely require an internal adjustment first. Someone would have to step aside or shift role to create genuine room, not just on the wage bill but in the hierarchy.

That is where the sporting debate begins at Valdebebas. Cucurella’s camp believe a deal should be negotiated around €45-50 million. The question for Madrid is whether investing that amount in another left-back makes sense when other areas of the squad may also need reinforcement.

Mourinho’s history suggests he will push hard for the profiles he trusts, especially in defensive zones. The club’s calculation will be colder: does strengthening the left side justify that outlay, or will Madrid decide those millions are better spent elsewhere in a squad that still expects to compete on every front?