Chelsea: £60m star 'might not ever be seen again' in position at Stamford Bridge

In partnership with

GiveMeSport

·11 October 2023

Chelsea: £60m star 'might not ever be seen again' in position at Stamford Bridge

Marc Cucurella's performances at right-back have shown improvement, but he may not play in that position again once other players return from injury and suspension.
Chelsea might need to consider signing a new left-back, as both Chilwell and Cucurella have been underwhelming in that role.
Chelsea face a challenging run of fixtures following the international break, which will test their recent improvements and momentum.

Play Video

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has failed to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge, and journalist Dean Jones has discussed the prospect of him keeping his place in the side, while speaking to GIVEMESPORT.

OneFootball Videos

The Spanish left-back is in Mauricio Pochettino's team by default at the moment due to injuries and suspensions.

Cucurella signed for Chelsea for a fee of £60m from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, per Sky Sports. The 25-year-old performed exceptionally during his time at the Amex Stadium, but in his first season at Stamford Bridge, he was far from convincing.

Despite joining the club just over a year ago, journalist Jones told GIVEMESPORT during the summer transfer window that Cucurella could already leave the club, but a move failed to materialise. Per Manchester Evening News, Manchester United were in talks to sign Cucurella on a loan deal, with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia out injured, but the Red Devils eventually brought Sergio Reguilon to Old Trafford.

In Chelsea's last three fixtures in all competitions, where the west London club have won all three games, Cucurella has featured at right-back due to injuries and suspensions. Reece James has been on the sidelines for a few weeks, whilst Malo Gusto has served a three-game ban for a sending-off against Aston Villa.

Chelsea have recently defeated Brighton, Fulham, and Burnley, with Cucurella receiving an 8.2, 7.4, and 7.8 FotMob rating in those games. The Spaniard has shown vast improvement, which is interesting considering he's featuring in an unfamiliar position. However, Cucurella will need to drastically improve over a significant period if he's going to change the minds of the supporters at Stamford Bridge.

We might not see him at right-back again under Mauricio Pochettino - Dean Jones

Cucurella is clearly a squad player under Pochettino and when the likes of Ben Chilwell, James, and Gusto all return to action, he's unlikely to be a starter in the side. Jones has suggested that we're unlikely to see Cucurella featuring at right-back ever again for Chelsea, with Gusto and James returning to action soon. The journalist adds that Pochettino has plenty of decisions to make when everyone returns to fitness, with Levi Colwill, Chilwell, and Cucurella fighting for a place on the left. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said...

"Yeah he's obviously been playing as an emergency right-back, so it's not been ideal. He did okay against Fulham. Not doing quite so well against Burnley. I think the good news for Chelsea is that with Gusto and James now coming back into contention, he won't need to be used at right-back again. We might not ever see him back again at right-back to be honest. But then the new dilemma comes at left-back, so do Chelsea continue with Colwill there? Do they believe that that's good enough? Because he got caught out a couple of times against Burnley as well. Chilwell is still going to be out for a couple of months and can Cucurella push to get his place back over on the left? That'll be the next question."

Could Chelsea sign a new left-back in the near future?

Chilwell and Cucurella have been far from convincing at left-back in recent times, and you'd expect Colwill's future to be in the centre of defence, possibly when Thiago Silva calls it a day. As a result, the Blues may look to invest in another left-back, and it wouldn't surprise many considering the amount of money they've spent in recent years.

The west London club haven't been afraid to splash the cash in recent years, and left-back could be their next priority.

What's next for Chelsea?

Chelsea face a difficult run of fixtures after the international break where they will be hoping they can continue their momentum from their recent upturn in form. The Blues face Arsenal and Brentford in the Premier League before a Carabao Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers.

Pochettino's side then travel to Tottenham Hotspur, before playing the champions of England in Manchester City. Newcastle United then await at the end of November, so it's certainly going to be a tricky test for Chelsea over the next few months.