John Terry has warned that Marc Cucurella's departure from Chelsea will be a 'big loss' for the club, with the timing of the move 'not looking good' so soon after Xabi Alonso's arrival as head coach.
Cucurella's Chelsea Exit
Cucurella joined Chelsea from Brighton in a £60million deal in the summer of 2022. After a difficult first season in west London, he grew into an important first-team player at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are now searching for a replacement after Real Madrid confirmed the signing of the Spain international in a £51m deal earlier this week.
Cucurella was also on the radars of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, while Manchester City were also interested in his services. He is now part of Jose Mourinho's plans to lift Real from the malaise they found themselves in at the end of last season.
Chelsea's Struggles
Chelsea's 2025-26 campaign was even worse, concluding with a 10th-place finish, with two permanent managers—Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior—shown the door. Alonso is now at the helm, with hope that he can solve the many issues that plagued the Blues last season.
Former captain Terry, however, fears the departure of an influential player like Cucurella so soon after the new head coach's appointment does not reflect well, also fearing he will be hugely missed next season.
'He's going to be a big loss,' Terry told Pierce Morgan Uncensored. 'He has been one of our best players the last two or three years, so it will be a very big loss. I think for Alonso coming in the door and he walks out the door, it doesn't look good.'
'He's [Cucurella] right up Mourinho's street in terms of the character, personality, and attitude he shows on a daily basis and on the pitch. One player he will be happy is [Bukayo] Saka because those two had some really good battles up against each other, so he will be a big loss for us. He spoke about it recently that he wanted to go, and it is probably been his dream to go sign for Real Madrid, so I have got nothing but good words for him and I wish him luck.'
Enzo Fernandez Uncertainty
Chelsea could also have a fight on their hands in keeping Enzo Fernandez at the club. Real are also interested in the Argentina international, but latest reports suggest the Premier League side will not entertain offers below the £120m mark.
