Chelsea: Marc Cucurella now has chance of major U-turn at Stamford Bridge

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·5 de octubre de 2023

Chelsea: Marc Cucurella now has chance of major U-turn at Stamford Bridge

Highlights

Chelsea's Marc Cucurella has an opportunity to prove himself at Stamford Bridge after recent developments at Stamford Bridge.
The ex-Brighton & Hove Albion star put in an excellent performance in Monday evening's 2-0 Premier League victory at Fulham.
The Blues travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley on Saturday afternoon, where Mauricio Pochettino hopes to guide his side to consecutive victories.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella must grab his unexpected opportunity to play at Stamford Bridge “with both hands”, as journalist Paul Brown provides GIVEMESPORT with an internal update on the left-back’s chances of becoming a regular feature in the side.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino hopes to build on this week’s positive result and begin a turnaround of the Blues’ fortunes.

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During the 2022 summer transfer window, Chelsea confirmed the capture of Cucurella from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth over £60m. The 25-year-old agreed a six-year contract to link up with head coach Thomas Tuchel, as co-owner and chairman Todd Boehly aimed to build a side capable of contending for the most prestigious honours.

However, the Spaniard’s time at the club has been rocky, to say the least, with Tuchel sacked within weeks of the left-back’s arrival at Stamford Bridge. His former head coach, Graham Potter, was drafted in to replace the German, but he was also relieved of his duties in April after a slump in form left the Blues swamping around the mid-table echelons of the Premier League. Interim head coach Frank Lampard failed to inspire a turnaround in form and was replaced by Mauricio Pochettino during the summer.

Cucurella made 33 appearances for Chelsea last term but missed the campaign’s final month with a muscle injury. In February, the MailOnline claimed that the Blues faithful were already turning on the summer signing, having put in several uninspiring performances at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea had been prepared to offload Cucurella to Manchester United on loan during the recent transfer market following injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia at Old Trafford. However, the west London outfit demanded a £7m loan fee for the defender, who would appear against AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup, meaning they couldn’t permanently sell him should United have chosen to cut short his temporary switch. Unsurprisingly, a move fell through, leaving Cucurella stuck at Chelsea following the closure of the transfer windows across Europe and the Middle East last month.

Last month, Brown told GIVEMESPORT that Pochettino had left the defender in ‘limbo’ after making it clear he wasn’t part of his plans at the club. But, following injuries to Reece James and Ben Chilwell, Cucurella was drafted in at right-back in Monday evening’s 2-0 Premier League victory at Fulham, helping the side keep a clean sheet with an impressive display.

Cucurella will want to prove he still has a future at Chelsea – Paul Brown

Brown believes Chelsea will have to rotate in the full-back departments with Chilwell and James absent. And the journalist suggests Cucurella will get a chance to prove his worth at Stamford Bridge. He told GIVEMESPORT:

“They may have to rotate in that area or try a few things to find the best option until Chilwell and Reece James return. So, I do think he's going to get a chance now. He must grab it with both hands. He did come close to a move, and it was clear that the club were willing to sell him. I don't think anyone in that situation would like it too much. It's not nice to know that your club is listening to offers for you. But I think he’ll get a chance now, and I think he’ll want to prove that he's still got a future at Chelsea.”

Chelsea’s £8m left-back target

Despite the summer transfer window closing last month, Chelsea are still scouring the market for potential targets heading into the winter market. The Blues are interested in highly-rated Argentine full-back Valentin Barco from Boca Juniors.

The 19-year-old is considered one of the best prospects in South America and has gained the attention of several European giants, including Manchester City and Real Madrid. Barco is said to have an £8m release clause in his contract, suggesting that his signing wouldn’t be too pricey for the two-time European champions.

What next for Chelsea and Cucurella?

With James and Chilwell likely to be injured for the foreseeable future, Cucurella could get the chance to hold down a place in Pochettino’s side for himself. The Blues travel to Burnley on Saturday afternoon, hoping to back up Monday’s victory at Fulham with another win on the road.

Following the season’s second international break, Chelsea welcome title challengers Arsenal to Stamford Bridge, hoping to avenge last season’s 1-0 defeat after a Gabriel Magalhaes second-half finish gave the Gunners all three points. Pochettino’s side round off October when Thomas Frank’s Brentford march onto Chelsea territory, hoping to extend their impressive record against their west London counterparts.