Cucurella Reveals the Truth About Barcelona’s Interest and His Attempt to Lure Rodri to Real Madrid
There were details surrounding Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid that had never been fully explained, particularly after the Spanish full-back was strongly linked with a return to Barcelona during the summer transfer window. His latest comments have now provided a clearer picture of what actually happened.
While Cucurella’s own future was being discussed, another Spanish international was facing an even more significant decision between the two giants of Spanish football. Cucurella was not simply watching the situation unfold from the sidelines. He revealed that he personally tried to convince his international team-mate to choose the path preferred by Real Madrid.
Real Madrid defender Marc Cucurella has now addressed the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona during the summer, confirming that his agent did receive several calls, but insisting that the contact never developed into genuine interest or a formal offer.
Speaking to Spanish broadcaster COPE, Cucurella was asked about the possibility of joining Barcelona and replied: “No, no, no. My agent received a few calls, but it didn’t go any further than that. I don’t think that can be considered genuine interest.”
Cucurella joined Real Madrid earlier this year in a deal worth €55 million initially, with a further €5 million available in potential add-ons. He quickly established himself in Jose Mourinho’s starting XI, moving ahead of Alvaro Carreras at left-back.
Before his move to the Santiago Bernabeu, Cucurella had been heavily linked with Barcelona, particularly amid uncertainty surrounding Alejandro Balde’s long-term future. However, the Catalan club never made a formal approach before Real Madrid stepped in and secured the defender.
Cucurella’s comments did not stop with his own transfer story. He also revealed intriguing details about Spain team-mate Rodri, who was considering his options between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the time.
The Real Madrid defender explained that he tried to persuade Rodri to join him at the Bernabeu, effectively attempting to help his new club win the race for the Spanish midfielder.
His efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful. According to Cucurella, Rodri remained cautious about revealing his intentions and gave him a response along the lines of “We’ll see” before eventually deciding to move to Barcelona.
Cucurella also joked about his former international team-mate’s decision, saying: “I’m happy for him, but I hope he doesn’t have too much success because that would mean the end of ours.”
Rodri eventually joined Barcelona after turning down Real Madrid, becoming one of the most notable transfers of the summer. Barcelona sporting director Deco previously confirmed that Rodri was not part of the club’s original transfer plans, but circumstances changed once the midfielder became available, prompting the Catalan club to move quickly.
Cucurella, meanwhile, has become an important part of Mourinho’s Real Madrid project and now faces the task of justifying the significant investment made to bring him to the Spanish capital.
Cucurella’s latest comments therefore reveal two intertwined stories from the same summer: a defender who was linked with Barcelona before moving to Real Madrid, and a team-mate he attempted to convince to choose the Bernabeu, only for Rodri to ultimately end up wearing Barcelona colours.
