Chelsea weighing up move for €50m La Liga defender who has worked with Xabi Alonso | OneFootball

Chelsea are in need of a left-back after Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid was confirmed on Monday, depositing €55m (£47.5m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in variables in their accounts. The solution could well be found at the Santiago Bernabeu.

One of the reasons that Chelsea were comfortable allowing Cucurella to leave is the development of Jorrel Hato, who they believe can step into the void left by the Spain international. The 27-year-old had also expressed a desire to return to Spain, and with two years left on his deal, it perhaps made sense for the Blues to cash in. Nevertheless, Hato is their only specialist at left-back now.

Chelsea weighing up move for Alvaro Carreras

Alvaro Carreras of Real Madrid (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

As a product of Cucurella arriving at Real Madrid, Los Blancos now have four left-backs on their books, with Fran Garcia, Ferland Mendy and Alvaro Carreras. The latter of course arrived only last summer for a fee of €50m from Benfica, and did so with the approval of Xabi Alonso, who was arriving as manager at the time too.

According to Diario AS, Chelsea are now considering a move for Carreras. Alonso is familiar with him, and Carreras would have no issues adapting to English football, having previously been at Manchester United and played on loan at Preston North End. They say that Los Blancos would be looking to be recover most of the fee they spent for him, and while Carreras is keen to stay, the door could be open to a move if Cucurella is a de facto starter.

Carreras’ debut season at Real Madrid

Image via DAZN MX. Carreras in action at the Bernabeu.

Carreras’ first season in Spain more or less mirrored that of Alonso, starting off in fine fashion and becoming one of the early contenders for best signings in the first third of the year. As things started to go wrong, Carreras’ form nosedived though, and he finished the season out of the team, behind both Garcia and Mendy. He also had a run-in with Antonio Rudiger in training, reportedly being slapped by the ex-Chelsea centre-back.