The move marks the first major signing since Jose Mourinho returned to the club as head coach, as Madrid look to rebuild after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
In an official statement, Real Madrid confirmed the agreement, saying: "Real Madrid and Chelsea FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Marc Cucurella, who will be linked to our club for the next six seasons, until June 30, 2032."
No transfer fee was officially disclosed, but reports in Britain suggested the deal could be worth up to 51.8 million pounds.
Club president Florentino Perez has been under pressure to strengthen the squad after Madrid missed out on the La Liga title and were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage. He had previously promised defensive reinforcements during his re-election campaign.
Cucurella arrived at Chelsea from Brighton in 2022 and went on to make 163 appearances for the club in all competitions. His first season in London proved difficult, but he later became a regular under manager Enzo Maresca, often used as an inverted full-back.
During his time at Chelsea, he won the Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, before finishing the 2025–26 Premier League season in 10th place, outside European qualification.
On the international stage, Cucurella has become an important figure for Spain national football team since his debut in 2021, earning 23 caps and helping them win Euro 2024 under coach Luis de la Fuente. He is also part of Spain's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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