Chelsea’s Plan to Steal Madrid’s Carreras as Cucurella Exit Sparks Chaos

Chelsea find themselves navigating a busy transfer window as Xabi Alonso prepares to build his squad. The Blues recently wrapped up the sale of Marc Cucurella, who has moved to Real Madrid—a club currently stacked with four left-backs.

With Cucurella’s exit confirmed, Chelsea has turned its attention to Alvaro Carreras, according to reports by 'AS'. At this stage, they are simply assessing the situation around the former Benfica talent, who now faces heightened competition for his spot at Real Madrid.

Journalist Simon Phillips was the first to break the news, which has since been backed by the Spanish outlet. However, the reports make clear that Chelsea’s interest hasn't gone beyond preliminary inquiries. This fits with their urgent need to find a reliable left-back after Cucurella, who had already played out his phase at Stamford Bridge.

Knowing Carreras could be on his way out following Real Madrid’s recent reshuffle, Chelsea is keen to clarify his current status—whether Madrid would entertain offers, what the transfer fee might be, and what demands the player might have if forced to move once more. A factor that favors Chelsea is Xabi Alonso’s familiarity with Carreras from their time together at Chamartín, with Alonso having previously supported his acquisition by Madrid.

For now, Real Madrid hasn't communicated with Carreras about their plans after Cucurella’s arrival. The situation is complex, with Fran García and Ferland Mendy also part of the squad’s left-back options—meaning some could soon be on the move. The transfer market cuts both ways for Carreras; his demand remains high, and Madrid may attempt to recover a significant portion of the €50 million they invested in him last summer.

Chelsea remains patient, watching closely as the scenario develops.