According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid and Chelsea have verbally agreed to sign Marc Cucurella. All parties, including the player, are believed to have agreed on the transaction; just the final details are still pending.

It is anticipated that the transaction will be completed for about 50 million euros. Romano claims that Jose Mourinho has made a special request to bolster the left-back position. Cucurella will join the Spanish powerhouses ahead of the upcoming season after leaving Chelsea following the World Cup.

The La Masia graduate is expected to make a significant transfer to the Catalan team’s fiercest rivals. Cucurella earned La Liga experience while playing for Eibar and Getafe before joining the Premier League.

Because of his performances, he was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made an impression before landing a job at Chelsea. He made 50 appearances for the London team in 2025–2026, including 34 in the Premier League, and recorded one goal and four assists.

Germany defeated World Cup rookies Curacao 7-1 in Houston on Sunday to get off to a strong start in their FIFA World Cup campaign.

Felix Nmecha gave Germany the lead after just six minutes, and they seemed to be in total control. But in the twenty-first minute, Livano Comenencia took advantage of a defensive error to score Curacao’s first-ever World Cup goal, shocking the four-time world champions and sending their supporters into wild jubilation.

Curacao had a small glimmer of optimism after the historic equaliser, but Germany’s talent quickly proved too much. Before Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot to give Julian Nagelsmann’s team a comfortable 3-1 lead going into halftime, Nico Schlotterbeck restored the lead.

After halftime, Germany maintained their lead thanks to a goal by Jamal Musiala a few minutes into the second half. Deniz Undav, Havertz, and Nathaniel Brown scored more goals as the Germans’ persistent offensive play overpowered their opponents.

Joshua Kimmich, who controlled the game’s tempo from midfield and provided assists, was crucial to Germany’s triumph. Curacao was unable to keep up with the Germans’ attacking movement and intensity because they had most of the possession and frequently generated opportunities.

Germany’s decisive win puts them atop Group E and gives their opponents a heads-up as they start their pursuit of World Cup title.

Even though Curacao lost badly in their tournament debut, the Caribbean nation will never forget the moment Comenencia scored their first goal on the largest football stage; a significant accomplishment for football in the nation’s history.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Alvaro Arbeloa is nearing his first Premier League managing position after reaching the final stages of a deal to take over as Fulham’s head coach.

Fabrizio Romano claims that only the final details need to be finalised before Arbeloa is officially named Fulham’s new manager, following Marco Silva’s departure from Craven Cottage to take over at Benfica after five seasons.

Despite having little senior leadership experience, the former Real Madrid defender has a burgeoning reputation.

Before taking over Castilla, Arbeloa worked for several years in Madrid’s academy system and had success with the team’s young teams. He also temporarily took over the first-team dugout earlier this year after Xabi Alonso left.

Fulham would be taking a risk with the appointment. The London club believes Arbeloa’s tactical ideas, leadership, and elite footballing background could make him an interesting long-term fit, even though he lacks the Premier League experience of many candidates.