Marc Cucurella has expressed his contentment at Chelsea, dismissing any thoughts of returning to Barcelona despite facing challenging times at Stamford Bridge.
The 25-year-old left-back faced significant criticism last season as Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League, leading to the dismissal of Mauricio Pochettino as manager.
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Following his high-profile £60 million transfer in 2022, a record fee for a player leaving Brighton, Cucurella has not met expectations, sparking rumors in January that he wanted to leave.
However, Cucurella seems revitalized under new manager Enzo Maresca and is not considering a move back to Barcelona, where he began his career.
The Spanish international made 54 appearances for Barcelona’s B team but only one for the first team before moving to Getafe in 2020.
When asked if he had considered the possibility of returning to the Camp Nou, Cucurella told COPE: ‘Today I don’t even think about it, it doesn’t even cross my mind. I think that’s already happened.
‘You never know what can happen, but I’m not thinking about that .
‘At Chelsea I’ve had some difficult years, but I’m happy and my family is comfortable.’
Cucurella has been linked with Real Madrid in the past but the defender was keen to distance himself from such speculation.
‘Something was rumoured. I don’t know much either,’ he replied when asked about a possible move to Madrid.
‘But I try not to let them tell me many things if they are not going to be done because you get too crazy.’
Cucurella has made 59 appearances for Chelsea over the past two seasons and has yet to win any silverware with the club.
He signed a contract upon his arrival in west London, which runs until the summer of 2028.
Last week, Gary Neville criticized Cucurella, suggesting that his inclusion as a starter for Spain in Euro 2024 indicated a weakness in their squad.
‘He’s aggressive, he’s tenacious, he’s a busy little full-back,’ the former Manchester United and England right-back said on ITV Sport. ‘The price tag still astounds everyone to this day.
‘The Spanish defence, it’s got a lot of experience now but there’s something just missing from Spain that makes you feel like they’re going to go all the way.
‘I have to say that him being at left-back is a good example of why we think that.’
