Marc Cucurella is headed to Real Madrid for £51.8M, and Chelsea now has a left-back-shaped hole in its squad. The club has turned its attention to Gabriel Gudmundsson, a Swedish defender currently at Leeds United, as one option to fill it.
The interest, reported by Swedish outlet Expressen on June 24, is described as preliminary. Chelsea has discussed Gudmundsson internally as a candidate, though the club’s priority for the position reportedly lies elsewhere.
Who is Gabriel Gudmundsson?
Gudmundsson is a left-back who moved to Leeds United from Lille in July 2025 for £10M. He arrived at Elland Road as Leeds were preparing for their return to the Premier League following promotion, and his performances during the 2025/26 season helped establish him as one of the more reliable defenders in a Leeds side adjusting to top-flight football.
Chelsea sold Cucurella for £51.8M. Gudmundsson cost Leeds £10M. If Chelsea can acquire him for even a modest premium on that fee, they’re still coming out of the window with money to spare from the Cucurella sale.
