The Argentina international, currently with his national team at the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, liked an Instagram post from transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming that Cucurella had verbally agreed to join Real Madrid after the tournament.
Real Madrid have agreed a fee worth up to £51.8m with Chelsea for the Spain left-back, who joined the west London club from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022. Cucurella is a product of Barcelona's youth academy and had long been tipped for a return to Spanish football.
Fernandez's gesture did not go unnoticed. The two players have been regular team-mates at Stamford Bridge and have developed a close understanding both on and off the pitch, making the midfielder's response to the news a natural talking point.
The Argentine has himself been the subject of recurring interest from Real Madrid, who are understood to have a long-standing admiration for the 24-year-old dating back to his time at Benfica.
Fernandez arrived at Chelsea for a then British record fee of £106.8m in January 2023, and has gone on to become one of the club's most important midfielders. He captained the side for spells last season and has continued to be a fixture under multiple managers since his arrival.
While there has been no indication from Chelsea that Fernandez is for sale, the gesture towards Cucurella's looming departure has been interpreted by many supporters as a hint that the Argentine would be open to following his team-mate to the Spanish capital.
The decision to publicly engage with the post, rather than ignore it, says something about where Fernandez's head currently sits. Players in his position rarely interact with transfer news involving close colleagues by accident, particularly during a major tournament when every gesture is scrutinised.
Whether or not a move for Fernandez materialises, the midfielder's response has ensured his name remains firmly part of the conversation as Real Madrid continue reshaping their squad under incoming boss Jose Mourinho. For Chelsea, the timing could hardly be less convenient — losing one influential dressing-room voice to Madrid is one thing, but the suggestion that another may want to follow adds a layer of complexity to an already busy summer of rebuilding under Xabi Alonso.
For now, Fernandez remains focused on Argentina's World Cup campaign. But the reaction to Cucurella's situation has given Chelsea fans plenty to think about regarding what comes next.