Chelsea have reportedly identified FC Barcelona’s €25 million rated Marc Cucurella as one of their potential targets in the summer.
According to Sport, Chelsea have backed off from their pursuit of Ben Chilwell. As a result, they are now looking for potential alternatives in the market, one of which is FC Barcelona’s Marc Cucurella, who is currently on loan at Getafe this season.
Cucurella has always remained keen on leaving Camp Nou following his lack of chances in Catalonia. Getafe do have an option to make the move permanent for a fee of €6 million. But, the deal reportedly includes a sell-on clause which states that Barcelona will receive 40% of the fee, should they choose to cash in on him in the future.
Nevertheless, Cucurella is enjoying a fantastic season at Getafe. The graduate from La Masia has flourished under the leadership of Pepe Bordalas. He has featured in 26 league games, scoring one goal and providing five assists. His excellent form has helped Getafe put up a strong fight for the Champions League places, with the club trailing third-placed Sevilla by just one point.
For Chelsea, Cucurella is certainly the most cost-effective option in their bid to overhaul the left-back department. Marcos Alonso has struggled ever since the departure of Antonio Conte while Emerson hasn’t made the desired impact either. As a result, the left-back slot has appeared as a major weakness for the Chelsea defence.
And with football coming to a halt across Europe due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, it seems coach Frank Lampard is keen on addressing his side’s major problems by diving into the transfer market. The Englishman has already shown a lot of desire to sign Bayer Leverkusen superstar Leon Bailey.
Cucurella, however, is a rather shrewd choice. Although the Spaniard has enjoyed a lot of success at Getafe, he is still relatively inexperienced at the highest level of football. And it could really make things difficult for him, as far as making the transition to a much faster-paced nature of the Premier League.
If Chelsea are to compete for the title next season, they must vouch for quality individuals. Ben Chilwell, in that regard, might have been an excellent option. But, Leicester City’s staggering asking fee of €90 million is way too much for Lampard’s liking and rightly so.
Cucurella could, however, become an excellent replacement for Emerson as Chelsea’s second-choice left-back. He has a lot of potential and also has time on his side. And for a fee of just €25 million, the Spaniard might not be a bad long-term investment for the Blues.