Marc Cucurella Reveals Atlético Madrid’s Strong Pursuit This Summer

Marc Cucurella has confirmed that Atlético Madrid actively pursued his signature during the recent transfer window. The Spanish international, currently with Chelsea, made the revelations in a recent interview, detailing the significant interest from the Madrid club.

Atlético’s Pursuit

Cucurella acknowledged Atlético Madrid’s strong efforts to sign him, stating, “Yes, yes, Atlético yes,” when questioned about which clubs had vied for his services this summer. He further elaborated on his conversations with his agents, indicating that he had instructed them to defer any transfer discussions until after he had completed his commitments, particularly focusing on the World Cup.

“At the end of the day, that’s what I told my agents, I told them I didn’t want to know anything until it was over, that I wanted to be focused on this World Cup, which is a unique opportunity and this experience deserved it,” Cucurella explained. “And in the end, it happened like that, and well, it’s better, also for one part, I’m glad it happened like that, that it was at the beginning and that everything was closed, to have my mind on the World Cup.”

The timing of the transfer speculation and Cucurella’s desire to remain focused on international duty highlights the player’s professional approach to his career.

A Different Path

While Atlético Madrid showed considerable interest, Cucurella’s focus remained on his immediate footballing objectives. The club’s pursuit of Cucurella was reportedly a significant effort, but ultimately, a move to the Spanish capital did not materialize.

The report from Mundo Deportivo Futbol suggests that Atlético’s initial target was indeed Cucurella, with negotiations reportedly reaching an advanced stage. However, the financial aspects of any potential deal proved to be a hurdle. Chelsea was reportedly seeking a fee in the region of 60 million euros, a figure that Atlético, needing to potentially reduce their outlay, found challenging to meet. This financial disparity is understood to have been a key factor in preventing the transfer from going through.

Cucurella also touched upon interest from his former club, FC Barcelona. He stated that while Barcelona had indicated a desire to sign a left-back, the discussions did not progress beyond that initial mention. “Barça? No, no, they told me they wanted to make a left-back, but nothing more, it stayed there,” he commented. He suggested that Barcelona’s primary focus in the transfer market might have been on acquiring a forward player.

Alejandro Grimaldo Signing

In the context of Atlético Madrid’s search for a left-back, the club is understood to be on the verge of officially announcing the signing of Alejandro Grimaldo. Reports indicate that the transfer fee for Grimaldo will be around 20 million euros, comprising both fixed and variable components. This potential acquisition signals Atlético’s continued efforts to strengthen their defensive options in that position, following the unsuccessful pursuit of Cucurella.

What remains unclear

The exact details of the financial negotiations between Chelsea and Atlético Madrid for Marc Cucurella remain undisclosed. It is also not definitively known if other clubs besides Atlético Madrid and Barcelona showed concrete interest in Cucurella during this transfer window.

Key Information Summary

Source: https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/atletico-madrid/20260625/1004199183/cucurella-reconoce-atletico-apreto-ficharle-dije-mis-agentes.html