Marc Cucurella adds his name to the rumor mill

Madrid, Spain — With the season’s final international break in full swing and the summer transfer window looming, Spain defender Marc Cucurella has become the latest Chelsea player to hint that his long-term future may lie away from Stamford Bridge. Speaking on the eve of Spain’s friendly against Egypt, the 27-year-old left-back refused to shut the door on a return to La Liga, admitting that a call from Barcelona would be “difficult to refuse.”

Cucurella, who spent his formative years in Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before carving out a career that wound through Getafe, Brighton and eventually west London, was asked directly about the prospect of heading back to Catalonia.

“You always think about going back,” he told reporters. “I’m very happy there [in England], and so is my family. I’ll leave it for a few years from now…”

Yet the caveat was immediate: “If it were Barça calling, it would be difficult to refuse. It’s not just about me. I’d have to think about my family. If it happens, happens, and we’ll see what decision is made.”

The comments arrive at a delicate moment for Chelsea, mired in mid-table uncertainty and facing fresh questions over squad planning ahead of a crucial summer. Cucurella, contracted through 2026, will turn 28 before next season kicks off, placing him in the final two years of his deal — typically the last window in which the club can command peak value for an asset. Ownership’s well-documented preference for younger talents, combined with the need to balance the books, only amplifies speculation that the Spaniard could be moved for the right offer.

Barcelona, perennially alert to market opportunities, are understood to be monitoring full-back depth with Ajax teenager Jorrel Hato already on their radar. Whether Hato’s projected development influences any approach for Cucurella remains to be seen, but the Blaugrana’s historical pull on their academy graduates is undeniable.

For now, Cucurella insists his focus is fixed on Spain’s upcoming fixtures and the remainder of the domestic campaign. Still, by refusing to rule out a return, he has ensured his name will swirl through the rumor mill until the window reopens — and perhaps until the next time Barcelona come knocking.