Chelsea are preparing to say goodbye to Marc Cucurella this summer, with the left-back reportedly heading to Real Madrid. The Blues missed out on European football last season, making them vulnerable to losing key players. A deal for Cucurella is said to have been agreed between the clubs, and the transfer is expected to be completed soon. Chelsea must now find a replacement, and Express Sport has identified four potential targets.
Adrien Truffert
Adrien Truffert joined Bournemouth last summer to replace Milos Kerkez and has arguably outperformed the current Liverpool man. He was instrumental in Bournemouth's Europa League qualification, playing all 38 Premier League matches. The 24-year-old Frenchman could be a strong candidate for Chelsea.
Rayan Ait Nouri
Rayan Ait Nouri also moved to a new club last summer but struggled with an early-season injury. Upon his return, Nico O'Reilly had cemented the left-back spot, leaving Ait Nouri on the sidelines. Chelsea might offer him regular playing time to lure him away from his current club.
Nathaniel Brown
Nathaniel Brown is an exciting prospect at left-back. The 22-year-old German scored at the ongoing World Cup and has impressed for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. However, his contract runs until 2030, and Bayern Munich are also keen, making a deal potentially expensive and competitive.
Alejandro Grimaldo
If Chelsea want a short-term solution, they could target Brown's teammate Alejandro Grimaldo. The 30-year-old Spaniard was a key figure in Leverkusen's 2024 title win and has one year left on his contract. A stop-gap move could be an option if Chelsea fail to secure a top-tier left-back this summer.
