Atlético Madrid Targets Cucurella for Summer Rebuild

Atlético Madrid are preparing for another heavy summer of spending, and one position sits right at the top of Diego Simeone’s to-do list: left-back.

For the third year running, the club are ready to reshape key areas of the squad, and the flank that should provide balance and security has become a recurring problem. Matteo Ruggeri, signed from Atalanta last summer with the expectation he would lock down the role, has not delivered the consistency demanded at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. His form has fluctuated, his influence has dipped, and the doubts have grown.

Behind him, the cupboard is almost bare. Aside from academy talent Julio Diaz, there is no natural deputy. Simeone has repeatedly been forced to push David Hancko into an uncomfortable role on the left, sacrificing his strengths to plug a gap. It worked at times. It also exposed Atlético at others. Nobody at the club wants a repeat of that tactical compromise next season.

So the search has turned to England. And to a familiar name.

Cucurella at the top of Atleti’s list

Sporting director Mateu Alemany has already identified his preferred solution: Marc Cucurella. The Chelsea defender, proven in La Liga and experienced at the highest level, has emerged as Atlético’s clear priority for the position. Within the club, he is viewed as an ideal starter on the left, aggressive without the ball and reliable with it, the sort of full-back who fits naturally into Simeone’s demanding structure.

Getting him out of Stamford Bridge, though, is another matter.

Chelsea have just installed former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso as their new manager, and his arrival has changed the dynamic around several players, Cucurella included. Alonso will have a decisive voice on who stays and who goes. According to MD, he has already made his stance on Cucurella known internally: he wants the Spaniard to remain in London.

For Alonso, Cucurella is not a surplus asset. He is a key piece.

Alonso’s plan vs Atlético’s ambition

Nothing is final yet. The situation hinges on a conversation that has not fully played out: direct talks between Alonso and Cucurella. Only once those discussions take place will Chelsea’s position be set in stone.

Alonso’s current idea is straightforward – keep Cucurella, integrate him into his plans, and build around a defender he trusts. But the equation changes if the 27-year-old pushes for a move. Should Cucurella make it clear that he wants to return to Spain this summer, Chelsea’s resolve could be tested. For now, that intention remains unknown. There has been no public indication from the player, no clear signal of his preferred path.

Atlético wait. They know the profile they want. They know the player they want. What they do not know is whether Cucurella is ready to force the issue.

World Cup first, decisions later

One thing is clear: this will not be a quick saga. Any serious movement is expected to be delayed until after the World Cup, where Cucurella is set to play a significant role for Spain. His performances on that stage could harden Chelsea’s stance, inflate his value, or even shift his own thinking about where his future should lie.

For Atlético, the timing is awkward but unavoidable. They need a left-back. They have picked their man. Now they must wait to see whether the World Cup becomes a launchpad for Cucurella’s revival at Chelsea under Alonso – or the turning point that opens the door to a return to La Liga.