Who Is The Right Man For Manchester City In Their Problem Position: Sosa And Cucurella Compared?

According to a report from Sky Sports, it is mentioned that Brighton have rejected a deal from Manchester City for Marc Cucurella, stating that the Sky Blues’ offer falls well below their valuation for their breakthrough left-back. This has pushed the Mancunian giants to look elsewhere and they’ve identified Borna Sosa to be a decent replacement for their long-term interest.

Sosa And Cucurella’s Numbers Compared From Last Season

Borna Sosa has performed exceptionally in his last campaign as he produced outstanding displays on the left flank. He managed to score a goal and create 8 assists over 28 appearances last season across all fronts. Similarly, Cucurella has done well to adapt to the Premier League as he established himself as a key player for the Seagulls, scoring a goal and producing two assists in 38 matches last season across all competitions.

The Zagreb- born talent averaged 1.6 key passes, 0.8 tackles, 1.0 interceptions and 1.4 clearances per game in the Bundesliga, whereas the Spanish left-back averaged 0.5 shots, 0.8 dribbles, 1.2 key passes, 2.7 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 1.9 clearances per game in the top tier of English football. Both of them did well in distributing possession to their teammates. However, Cucurella was slightly better after completing 82% of his attempted passes compared to Sosa’s 77.9% (stats via whoscored).

Who Remains A Better Fit For Manchester City?

Cucurella excels at holding on to the ball and making some decent runs down the left flank. He is adept at clearing his lines and tracking his opponent down to win the ball back for his side. On the contrary, Sosa has a solid presence in the offensive end as he excels at delivering crosses from the wide areas to create meaningful opportunities in front of the goal.

Looking at the statistics, the Croatian full-back has produced some great numbers in the attacking third. However, he lacks defensively as compared to the Spanish alternative. Man City have been in pursuit of Cucurella as they’ve identified him as a better alternative to Zinchenko but the variation in the valuation of both the clubs have been a hindrance to his move away from the Seagulls.

The Sky Blues have lacked in the left-back position ever since Guardiola’s arrival. We’ve seen multiple changes in the position but the recent development with Joao Cancelo providing cover in the area has seen him do the job quite well. However, a permanent solution could only be in bringing in an outstanding left-back who could allow Cancelo to play in his preferred position, and Guardiola would like to bring in a left-footed player.

The Etihad Club is in dire need of a full-fledged left-back, so Guardiola should do well to acquire one ahead of the next season.