Chelsea set Marc Cucurella price tag amid rising interest from La Liga | OneFootball

Chelsea’s reported £61m valuation of Marc Cucurella is a strong message to Atletico Madrid: if they want him, they will have to pay serious money. According to Ben Jacobs of talkSPORT, Atletico are expected to open talks in the coming weeks, with the Spanish club making the Chelsea left-back one of their key defensive targets this summer.

Chelsea’s starting price is around €70m/£61m, while Atletico would prefer a deal closer to €50m/£43m, as per the report.

From Chelsea’s point of view, the high valuation makes sense. Cucurella is not a fringe player anymore.

After a difficult start at Stamford Bridge following his move from Brighton in 2022, he has grown into an important figure and a fan favourite.

Chelsea paid an initial £55m, rising to £62m with add-ons, so selling him cheaply would make very little sense, especially when he still has three years left on his contract.

Atletico Madrid are interested in the Chelsea left-back

Atletico’s interest is also understandable. Diego Simeone’s side need more quality and energy at left-back, and Cucurella fits their style well.

He is aggressive, intense, comfortable defending one-v-one, and also good enough technically to help in possession.

Reports in Spain suggest Atletico have already been in contact with his camp, and the player is believed to be open to returning to La Liga.

The interesting part is Chelsea’s position. They do not appear desperate to sell, but they are clearly willing to listen if the money is right. That feels like the correct approach.

Spaniard has become a crucial member at Stamford Bridge

Cucurella has value, and after Chelsea’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, the club may need to reshape parts of the squad.

However, losing an experienced, hard-working defender should only happen if the fee helps fund major improvements elsewhere.

Chelsea are right to start high. Cucurella is not untouchable, but he is not someone they should be pushing out either.

Atletico may hope to negotiate the price down, but Chelsea hold the stronger hand because of his contract and importance to the squad.

If Atletico get close to £60m, Chelsea should seriously consider it. But if the offer is closer to £40m, they should walk away. Cucurella has rebuilt his reputation, and Chelsea should not undervalue that.