Chelsea given eye-popping asking price for Brighton defender Marc Cucurella
Chelsea are one of a number of Premier League clubs reportedly eyeing a move for Brighton & Hove Albion full-back Marc Cucurella during the summer transfer window.
Chelsea have been quoted an eye-popping asking price in their bid to sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Marc Cucurella this summer.
Following a stellar first season in England with the Seagulls, Cucurella is attracting interest from the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur as well as Chelsea this summer. However, Brighton will not let the Spanish left-back leave the club on the cheap and have set an asking price of £45million for the 23-year-old, according to The Sun.
It is understood that Cucurella feels a sense of loyalty to Brighton but has admitted it is hard to ignore interest from certain clubs.
“If the opportunity arises, you have to take advantage of it,” explained the defender. “There are teams that you can’t say no to.”
Brighton signed Cucurella from Getafe for £16.2million last summer and he went on to make 39 appearances across all competitions during his debut campaign with the club.
He chipped in with two assists and a goal from left-back, with his sole strike coming via a powerful effort into the back of the net in the 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United earlier this month.
The Spain international is also capable of playing further forward on the left as well as in the centre of defence and was named Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season at Brighton’s recent end of season awards ceremony.
As a result of his performances this term, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is targeting Cucurella as part of his plans for a defensive overhaul at Stamford Bridge this summer, once the takeover by Todd Boehly’s consortium is completed.
The club’s transfer ban is set to be lifted once the sale of the club is finalised, allowing Tuchel to get to work improving his squad for the new season.
With Marcos Alonso reportedly allowed to leave the club this summer, Ben Chilwell would be the only senior left-back remaining at Chelsea for next season.
Chelsea also remain linked with Sevilla central defender Jules Kounde as they prepare to lose both Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger on free transfers when their contracts expire.
