Pep Guardiola explains why Chelsea won the Marc Cucurella transfer
Pep Guardiola has admitted that Chelsea were able to sign Marc Cucurella only because Manchester City’s higher-ups were not willing to meet the valuation set by Brighton & Hove Albion.
Cucurella signed for Chelsea earlier this month for a transfer fee worth £63 million. City were very much interested in the 24-year-old left-back but pulled out because the two clubs differed in the valuation of the player.
Thomas Tuchel and co were quick to pounce upon the opportunity and approached the club and player for a transfer. Now Guardiola has explained why City pulled out.
In an interview published in the Manchester Evening News (h/t football.london), the City boss gave his reasons.
The moment we couldn’t go through with Cucurella because the club decide we wouldn’t pay this amount of money for this player.
A left-back who can play as a centre-back as well as a left-midfielder, Cucurella is the type of player that Tuchel wants in his team. His versatility allows him to provide cover for multiple positions simultaneously. This helps Tuchel add depth and increase competition in his squad.
The 24-year-old Spaniard will likely play second fiddle to Ben Chilwell this season. With the Blues still looking to sign another centre-back, Cesar Azpilicueta started their previous game in the back three. Should they fail to bring in another centre-back, Azpilicueta could likely play as a centre-back this season.
Cucurella came off the bench against Everton last weekend and was very impressive in his short cameo. The defender was quick and almost everywhere. His forward runs and deadly balls in the boxes had the Everton defenders sweating.
Such an impressive cameo has put Cucurella in contention to start the next game this Sunday. The 24-year-old moved to the Premier League last season and made 35 league appearances for the Seagulls. His impressive performances helped the club finish ninth on the table and he was named the player of the year at the club.
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Tuchel knows that he has got a gem of a player in his squad. At just 24, he is likely to play his peak years of football at Stamford Bridge. It remains to be seen if Tuchel chooses him to start the game against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday.