Barcelona are weighing changes at left-back, with Chelsea's Marc Cucurella in their sights. If a deal goes through, first-choice Balde would see his place in the pecking order come under immediate pressure.
A familiar face returns: La Masia ties resurface
Cucurella, 27, is hardly an outsider. He came through Barcelona B, was loaned to Eibar and Getafe, was bought back and loaned out again by Barça, and Getafe eventually completed his permanent signing. He then made his name at Brighton before moving to the Premier League and Stamford Bridge. For the Catalan giants, this reads more like a homecoming than a gamble on an unknown signing.
Last summer Cucurella had only just renewed with Chelsea, yet he is unhappy with how the 2025-26 season is shaping up overall. The player himself is open to a return to the Camp Nou, and Chelsea are not expected to stand in the way of his wish to leave—giving Barcelona room to act in the summer window.
The numbers stack up on both ends of the pitch
Leaving out last summer's Club World Cup, Cucurella ranked near the top of Chelsea on several key metrics last season. He created 50 chances (including assists), behind only Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández; completed 1,999 passes, fifth in the squad; and posted an 87.79% pass success rate, again among the club's leaders.
In attack, he delivered 56 crosses, tied with Enzo for fifth in the squad, yet his 26.79% cross success rate was the highest on the team. Defensively, his 85 tackle attempts ranked second at Chelsea, while his 69.41% tackle success rate led the squad; his 119 clearances placed fourth, and his 332 one-on-one duel attempts at a 53.31% success rate all reflect a playing style that never shies away from physical battles.
Barcelona left-back shake-up: where does Balde go from here?
For years Barcelona have leaned heavily on Balde at left-back, with his pace and forward runs fitting the side’s need to push width. From a tactical fit standpoint, however, Cucurella’s passing reliability, crossing accuracy and defensive success rates align precisely with Barça’s dual demand for full-backs who both join the build-up and win their one-on-ones.
Recent on-site data show that in several La Liga games late in the 2025 season, Barcelona’s possession rate stayed between 71% and 82%, with shot totals ranging from 12 to 26; width down the flanks and passing accuracy underpin their attacking thrust. Bringing in Cucurella could give the coaching staff a more settled outlet on the left and force a rethink of Balde’s role — whether through competition for the shirt, a positional switch, or rotation — which will be a key storyline through the rest of the summer window.
What to watch next
The core logic of this potential move is to upgrade the left flank with a more experienced, statistically rounded veteran, not merely to add star power. Chelsea’s willingness to sell, Cucurella’s own preference and Barcelona’s long-term plan for Balde will together shape the outcome. Once the window opens, the battle for the left-back spot merits close monitoring.
