Real Madrid president makes shock Brighton transfer claim as Chelsea star dazzles at Euros

Former Brighton defender Marc Cucurella has been one Spain’s best players at Euro 2024. Cucurella, 25, has excelled on the left flank for Luis de la Fuente’s team as they have recorded impressive victories against Croatia and Italy to top Group B. Spain’s final group game is against Albania tonight at the Düsseldorf Arena.

The form of Cucurella has taken a few people by surprise as he has struggled at times at Chelsea following his £63m move from Brighton to Stamford Bridge in August 2022.

But his energetic and marauding displays for Spain used to be a familiar sight for Brighton fans during his excellent first season in the Premier League.

Brighton swooped for Cucurella in August 2021 as they paid £15m to Getafe for his services. The former Barcelona youth man made 35 appearances for the Seagulls and thrived under the guidance of then manager Graham Potter. He scooped the player of the year award at Brighton but was swiftly sold to Chelsea for a healthy profit.

However, it could have been a very different story as Real Madrid president Angel Torres Sanchez revealed yesterday the left-back was close to joining Madrid from Getafe and not Brighton.

"I'm not surprised by the good Euros that Cucurella is doing; I offered him to Real Madrid when I was here," Torres Sanchez said while speaking at their kit launch for the 2024/25 season, via 90 Minutes. "[The transfer was] close to being done."

Nipping ahead of Madrid for Cucurella proved a shrewd piece of business from Brighton, who made a profit of almost £50m for the player in less than 12 months.