According to a report from Football.London, it has been suggested that Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella could be shown the way out from Stamford Bridge this summer. By choosing to retain Ian Maatsen, Mauricio Pochettino may open the possibility of selling Cucurella during this summer transfer window.
Recently, Pochettino dropped hints that the former Brighton player could potentially depart. When asked about the competition at left-back, he stated that Cucurella is currently in good shape, but all players are starting from scratch, and it’s about competing for positions. With Ben Chillwell, Ian, and Lewis also vying for the same position, four players are contending for the left-back spot, which is very unbalanced. Hence, they will be offloading one of them this summer.
Cucurella’s Decent Campaign With Chelsea Last Season
Cucurella had a decent campaign with the Blues last season, as he produced a few influential displays on the left side of their defence. He created two assists over 24 appearances for the West London club in the Premier League.
The Spanish sensation was solid in the defensive department after averaging 2.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game in the Premier League. He also efficiently distributed the ball to his teammates after completing 86.4% of his attempted passes in the English top flight (stats via whoscored).
Should Pochettino Sanction His Exit?
The former Brighton wing-back is a very talented player who has shown that he can be a valuable asset to a team. He is versatile and can play in a number of positions, including left-back, left wing-back, and central midfield. He is also a good crosser of the ball and has a knack for creating chances.
However, the Blues already have two good left-backs in Ben Chilwell and Ian Maatsen. Adding Cucurella to the mix would create an unbalanced squad; with Lewis, four players compete for one position. This could lead to a lack of playing time for some players, which could be detrimental to their development. So it is only natural for Pochettino to sanction the exit of Cucurella as Chilwell remains first-choice and Ian Maatsen has impressed in the Pre-season friendlies.
