Chelsea
have reached an agreement in principle to sign Marc Cucurella from Brighton
for £52.5m, but a deal has not been completed for the left-back.
Numerous sources involved in the deal have told Sky Sports News a deal has
been agreed in principle.
Brighton have since denied a deal has been reached. The Seagulls' pursuit of
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill is complicating a move.
"Brighton have said as far as they're concerned this deal is not agreed with
anyone yet, contrary to lots of reports from numerous outlets," said Sky
Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol.
"We should also bear in mind, numerous people involved in the negotiations
and the deal are telling us, and lots of other outlets, they feel a deal has
been agreed in principle, that Chelsea are willing to pay £52.5m for him,
the player wants to go to Chelsea. As far as they're concerned, he is going
to be a Chelsea player and in fact a medical has been booked.
"But he is a Brighton player and if they are saying the deal hasn't been
done yet, no matter what we're being told by other sources involved in
negotiations, the deal has not been completed yet.
"It could be complicated as well because Brighton are also interested in
signing young Chelsea player Levi Colwill. I don't think that deal is going
to be involved in the Cucurella deal but those are negotiations going on in
parallel.
"Numerous sources are still saying to us the player is confident that he is
going to become a Chelsea player."
The Spaniard handed in a transfer request on Friday in a bid to push through
a move to Manchester City but the Premier League champions did not want to
pay Brighton's asking price for the 24-year-old.
The Seagulls had previously rejected a £30m bid for the full-back from Pep
Guardiola's side, who are looking for a replacement for Oleksandr Zinchenko
after he joined Arsenal.
Cucurella enjoyed a hugely successful first Premier League season after
moving from Getafe in a deal worth around £15m last summer and was named
Brighton's player of the season.
Brighton did not want to let Cucurella leave and it took Chelsea's huge
offer for them to sell as he had four years remaining on his contract at the
Amex.
Chelsea moved for Cucurella with doubts surrounding the future of left-back
Marcos Alonso, with Barcelona reportedly wanting to sign the 31-year-old
this summer. Blues captain Cesar Azpilicueta is also wanted by the Spanish
giants with the defender having one year left on his deal.
First-choice left-back Ben Chilwell, who joined from Leicester in August
2020 for £50m, missed the majority of last season with a knee injury but has
returned to full fitness in pre-season.
Thomas Tuchel's side have made two signings this summer with the arrivals of
Raheem Sterling for £47.5m from City and defender Kalidou Koulibaly from
Napoli in a £33m deal.
top