Chelsea have signed Spanish defender Marc Cucurella from Brighton & Hove Albion on a six-year contract, the Premier League clubs said on Friday.

Financial details were not disclosed, but Brighton said the club will receive a record transfer fee.

Local media reported that the clubs have agreed to a 63 million pound ($76.5 million) deal for the 24-year-old.

“I am very happy. It is a great opportunity for me to join one of the best clubs in the world and I am going to work hard to be happy here and help the team,” Cucurella told the Chelsea website.

Cucurella, who is international with Spain, arrived at Brighton in 2021 from Getafe. He made 35 league appearances for Graham Potter’s side, which finished ninth in the tournament last season.

“We didn’t want to lose Marc, but he wanted a chance to play in the Champions League with a view to accelerating his progress towards Spain’s World Cup squad,” Potter told Brighton’s website.