Chelsea are close to securing the signing of Brighton defender Marc Cucurella.
Cucurella signed for Brighton at the beginning of last season and has kicked on to become one of the best wing-backs in the Premier League.
After moving from a European league, there is always the risk that a player won’t settle in and adapt to the English game, but Cucurella has had no issues in doing so.
Now, Cucurella is edging closer to signing for Chelsea this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside in his column on Substack.
With Ben Chilwell already at the club, it may seem that Cucurella will struggle to get into the Chelsea team, but Romano has insisted the Spanish defender has not been brought in as a backup.
Cucurella can operate on the left of midfield, at left-back, as well as slot in as a third central defender. His versatility could be a key reason that Thomas Tuchel is so keen to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
With five substitutions being introduced to the Premier League this upcoming season, having versatile players and immense squad depth could be crucial in Chelsea’s attempts to rival Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the league.