Mauricio Pochettino is willing to place his trust in Marc Cucurella after the 25-year-old proved his worth in a difficult period.
According to Football Insider, Marc Cucurella will likely feature in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. The 25-year-old Chelsea player came close to leaving the club during the summer, but in the last month or so, he has managed to revive his career at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had a big battle to sign Marc Cucurella in the summer of 2022 and beat off competition from Manchester City for the Spaniard. They paid a £60 million-plus fee, including add-ons, for the fullback, but he suffered with the rest of his teammates in a disastrous season.
Chelsea last tasted life in the top half of the table over a year ago, and there are significant doubts about whether they can return to Europe next season. Despite some positive results under Mauricio Pochettino, including thrilling draws against Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, the Blues are still tenth on the table.
This Chelsea squad is evolving, and the club’s owners have so far placed their trust in Pochettino to turn them into a solid unit. Cucurella included, some players still understand the system and build partnerships, but the 25-year-old Spaniard has somewhat proved his worth.
Cucurella came close to leaving Chelsea during the summer, as a loan move to Manchester United broke down late in the summer window. His failure to move exiled him from first-team action, but untimely injuries to some key players forced Pochettino to bring the Spaniard back into the fold.
After playing no part in the first six Premier League games, Cucurella has since started five of the next six. He has played in an unfamiliar right-back role, although since the return of Reece James, he has returned to his customary left-back position.
He has impressed, and Pochettino is ready to trust the 25-year-old Chelsea player to hand him a lifeline. The Spaniard reportedly held crunch talks with the manager before his re-integration into the squad, and so far, it has paid dividends.
There’s some interest from Sevilla ahead of the January window, but his £175,000-a-week wages might restrict any move back to Spain. For Chelsea and Cucurella, it’s good news if Pochettino wants to keep hold of the left back.
For Cucurella, the coming few games are crucial as he must perform at the best level to retain Pochettino’s faith. After December, Ben Chilwell will return to action, and that competition will prove how well the 25-year-old Spaniard can perform under adverse pressure.
