Chelsea assess left-back market after Cucurella sale
Chelsea add Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix to shortlist to boost set-piece strength and height under Xabi Alonso. Palace hold firm with three years left, while rivals and Bayern also lurk.
Chelsea rate under-21 Landon Emenalo as a future left-back but plan to sign cover now. Jorrel Hato leads the role, with Lewis Hall, Maxi Araujo and Alejandro Grimaldo among targets.
Chelsea make Sporting’s Maxi Araújo their priority for left-back after Marc Cucurella joins Real Madrid. United and Tottenham monitor. Sporting point to near-€80m clause as Uruguay winger stresses staying.
Cole Palmer’s stock has dipped after a poor 2025/26, but his earlier 25-goal season and 32 contributions the next year, plus Club World Cup and Conference League wins, show his value to Chelsea.
With Cucurella gone, Xabi Alonso pushes Chelsea to sign Alejandro Grimaldo, citing his Leverkusen output of 16 goals and 33 assists in 99 games. Hato could step up but another left-sided option is wanted.
Chelsea sell Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid for up to £51.8m. Despite an £8.2m cash loss versus Brighton fee, amortisation yields a £17.5m book profit. Blues line up left-backs like Andrea Cambiaso and Alejandro Grimaldo.
Report claims Enzo Fernandez wants Real Madrid move after Cucurella’s exit. Chelsea would seek around £120m and are said to be calm, willing to sell at the right price.
Ex-Legia Warsaw coach Goncalo Feio, who beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in Europe, is open to moving abroad and is in contention for the Motherwell job after leaving Tondela.
Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah replaces injured Tino Livramento in England’s 2026 World Cup squad, joining Reece James before the Group L opener against Croatia in Dallas.
Chelsea consider Real Madrid’s Alvaro Carreras as a natural left-back to compete with Jorrel Hato and Valentin Barco. Cucurella’s Bernabeu move leaves Carreras vulnerable under Jose Mourinho.
Chelsea and AC Milan eye Birmingham City winger Aurelien Guernier on a free. BlueCo link to Strasbourg noted, with Milan set to proceed after talks. Blues risk losing the 19-year-old prospect.
Jose Mourinho pushed Real Madrid to sign Marc Cucurella, saying ‘it’s him or nobody’. Chelsea now rely on Jorrel Hato at left-back and are assessing Lewis Hall and Maxi Araujo as options.
Chelsea eye Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso as Cucurella successor. The 26-year-old can invert into midfield and play both flanks. Juve’s demands have eased, with Inter and Barcelona also in the frame.
