Marc Cucurella thrilled in debut Premier League season, cried after goal against Manchester United, is set for transfer to Chelsea but dreams of Barcelona return

In what’s been an enthralling and busy switch window, yet one more sudden saga is now on the forefront of all of the gossip.

The way forward for Marc Cucurella is the topic of giant hypothesis with the Brighton full-back closely linked with a transfer to Manchester Metropolis earlier this summer season.

However a scarcity of progress in talks between the Premier League champions and the Seagulls has seen Chelsea enter the race for the 24-year-old.

And it seems to be just like the west Londoners will get their man with Chelsea understood to be prepared to pay the Seagulls’ £50million asking value for the participant.

A yr in the past it will’ve appeared loopy to see two of the Premier League’s greatest golf equipment in a tug of struggle for the defender who was plying his commerce at LaLiga facet Getafe till deadline day in the summertime of 2021.

However Cucurella’s spectacular type final time period has seen many flip heads in his path. So what’s all of the fuss about?

The stats present he’s an assured defender however it’s what he gives going ahead that undoubtedly offers him an edge.

Cucurella created 40 goalscoring possibilities from open play within the Premier League final season, which is greater than another Chelsea participant other than Reece James (42).

Stats don’t paint a full image of a participant’s efficiency – one purpose and one help all season isn’t precisely a glittering return for a modern-day full-back.

However any Brighton fan will give a glowing evaluate when requested about Cucurella’s performances final season, which reached its peak when he scored within the Seagulls’ 4-0 thumping of Manchester United, the purpose making the participant reduce an emotional determine.

Cucurella himself most likely couldn’t have imagined having to decide on between Metropolis and Chelsea however feedback beforehand made by the participant counsel he’d snub either side in a heartbeat for Barcelona, the place he began his profession.

Cucurella, who has only one senior Barca look to his title, instructed Spanish publication Sport in November 2021: “Ultimately, I’ve been there for a few years at Barca and lets say that it’s my home and my household or that of my spouse, who’s from Barcelona.

“I’ve a thorn in my facet as a result of I made my debut within the first staff however I used to be by no means in a position to play on the Camp Nou and I believe it’s one thing I wish to do earlier than retiring or leaving soccer.”

With Chelsea already lacking out on the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinh and Jules Kounde, they’ll be praying Barca don’t make an eleventh hour bid for his or her former participant.