Chelsea have made a formal enquiry about Real Madrid left-back Alvaro Carreras, according to Sport, following the sale of Marc Cucurella to the Spanish club for £47.5million in June. The Blues are reportedly willing to meet Real Madrid’s valuation of the player, which is set at €50million (£42.6m), if manager Xabi Alonso can convince Carreras of a prominent role within the team.
Chelsea sold Cucurella back to his former club despite the player previously indicating a desire to remain at Stamford Bridge, a move that left a void at left-back. Carreras, who previously played under Alonso at Real Madrid, could represent a direct replacement. Alonso is believed to be able to offer Carreras assurances of regular first-team football, a key factor in potentially swaying the player to move to London.
Carreras was a regular under Alonso during the manager’s time in Madrid, featuring in more than 25 games across all competitions. This existing relationship is seen as a significant advantage for Chelsea in their pursuit. Currently, Chelsea’s left-back options are all aged 21 or under, with limited top-level experience, making Carreras an attractive option for immediate impact.
However, Real Madrid are not actively seeking to sell Carreras, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the club views him as a backup option to Cucurella. The Spanish side’s plans currently involve Cucurella as the starter, Carreras as the understudy, and Fran García departing the club. Despite this, Chelsea’s financial muscle and Alonso’s influence could still prove decisive in bringing Carreras to the Premier League. Should a deal for Carreras fall through, Chelsea are expected to pursue alternative left-sided defensive options.
