Could Marc Cucurella be on his way out of Chelsea with Enzo Fernandez this summer? The left-back is flirting with Barcelona.

Fernandez, who signed from Benfica for a then British-record fee of ￡106.8m in January 2023, has been one of the Blues’ standout players over the past couple of seasons.

The Argentina World Cup winner has contributed 12 goals and five assists in all competitions this season, while he also provided three assists for his team-mates and a goal in the FIFA Club World Cup over the summer.

That has led to interest from Real Madrid ahead of the upcoming transfer window with a report nine days ago claiming that Fernandez is ‘close to joining’the La Liga side in the summer.

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When asked recently if he would be at Chelsea next season, Fernandez said: “I don’t know, there are eight games left and then the FA Cup. Then there’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.”

In an interview over the weekend with Marcos Giles and Infobae, Fernandez insisted he would like to move to Madrid at some point in the future.

He said: “I’d like to experience, I don’t know, live there. I really like Madrid, it reminds me a lot of Buenos Aires.”

And now Cucurella, who holds a role of similar importance to Fernandez at Chelsea, has admitted it would be “difficult to refuse” an approach from Barcelona despite insisting he remains “happy” at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking ahead of Spain’s friendly against Egypt on Tuesday, Cucurella explained: “You always think about going back. I’m very happy there (in London), and so is my family. I’ll leave it for a few years from now.”

But when asked what he would do if Barca called, he added: “It would be difficult to refuse. It’s not just about me. I’d have to think about my family. If it happens, it happens, and we’ll see what decision is made.”

Fabrizio Romano confirmed last week that Real Madrid are indeed interested in Fernandez but the transfer expert insists that Los Blancos “have not yet made a final decision on which midfielder they want to sign”.

Romano said: “Let me also update you on Enzo Fernandez. He has rejoined the Argentina national team and, when asked about his future, he made it clear that his full focus is on Chelsea FC and upcoming matches.

“At the moment, there is no agreement over a new contract between the player and Chelsea. If an important opportunity arises, a summer move cannot be ruled out, but Chelsea remain in control. He is under a long-term contract, is a crucial player, and the club invested significant money to sign him.

“Regarding links with Real Madrid, Enzo Fernandez has stated that there are no talks. This is accurate, as there are currently no negotiations or concrete discussions.

“Real Madrid have not yet made a final decision on which midfielder they want to sign. They are internally discussing options, which is completely normal, but no specific move has been initiated. This is why there is no contact at this stage.”