Chelsea are weighing up a move for Real Madrid left back Alvaro Carreras following the surprise sale of Marc Cucurella to the Spanish giants over the weekend.
The Blues confirmed the departure of Cucurella in a deal believed to be worth around £50 million, with Real Madrid formally announcing the transfer on Monday.
Diario AS has reported that Chelsea are now keen on bringing Carreras to Stamford Bridge as a direct replacement for the Spanish international they just sold to Madrid.
Formal negotiations between the two clubs could begin soon for the 23-year-old, who finds himself in an uncertain situation at the Bernabeu heading into the summer.
Xabi Alonso had insisted on Carreras joining Real Madrid last year, but with Alvaro Arbeloa not counting on him during the second half of the 2025/26 season, his future is now unclear.
Competition for the left back position at the Bernabeu has intensified significantly, with Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia also competing for minutes in that role.
Real Madrid are unlikely to stand in Carreras’ way if Chelsea make a compelling enough offer and the player himself wishes to make the move to London.
Madrid paid close to £50 million to sign Carreras from Benfica last summer, though he could be sold closer to his Transfermarkt valuation of £45 million given the club’s need to offload players for registration purposes.
Carreras is considered an excellent all-round left back, with his intelligent positioning, physicality, and interceptions making him a strong defensive option, while his ability on the ball helps link play and push possession higher up the pitch.
Reports suggest that Arbeloa and Madrid have had concerns over Carreras’ off-field conduct and body language in training, though this is not believed to have been an issue Xabi Alonso encountered during his brief time working with the player.
Chelsea’s recruitment team are clearly moving quickly to address the void left by Cucurella, who was one of the club’s more experienced and reliable performers before his departure.
Losing a player of Cucurella’s quality and experience represents a significant blow for the Blues, making the search for a worthy successor all the more pressing this transfer window.