Marc Cucurella sends emotional farewell message to Chelsea after £52m transfer confirmed

The defender played 115 times for the club in his time in west London, having made the switch from Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2023. The move was announced during the World Cup, but following Spain’s run to the final and their second ever triumph, Cucurella has been afforded some additional time off before he joins up with his new team-mates. He will play under former Chelsea head coach Jose Mourinho, who completed a sensational return to the Santiago Bernabeu after 13 years away. In a video posted on social media, Cucurella said that he arrived at Chelsea “as a young lad with a dream of winning trophies and playing in the Champions League”. He acknowledged “a tough start”, but admitted that “London will always be my home and a part of my history”. The defender said he was leaving Stamford Bridge “as a man”, thanking coaches, staff, team-mates and fans. He ended the message with a final showing of support for his former side: “I truly hope to see Chelsea up, where [they] belong and deserve to be.”The Blues finished 10th in the Premier League after a dismal campaign last term, where Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior both left their positions as manager. Read MoreAlonso has now taken over the reins in west London, and he is looking to shape the squad in his own image.