Marc Cucurella has been a Chelsea player since 2022, and he has quietly established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout left-backs in that time.
The defender played more than 50 times across all competitions last season, and he remains an important figure under Enzo Maresca.
Speaking before the match against Barcelona, Enzo Maresca highlighted just how valuable Cucurella is to the team.
Chelsea will not want to lose a player as important as he is. But if it happens, it looks like they already have a backup plan in place.
Chelsea make new push to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly
Earlier in the month, Simon Phillips reported that Chelsea had been conducting background checks on Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, although the defender was not interested in making a switch to Stamford Bridge at the time.
But it looks like that has not stopped the Blues from pursuing him further.
Now, Phillips has said on Si Phillips Talks Chelsea that one source inside Arsenal told him Chelsea are being “aggressive and bold” in their efforts to persuade in Lewis-Skelly.
Maresca currently relies on Cucurella and Jorrel Hato for that area.
However, Cucurella leaving would leave a significant gap, which is why Chelsea have started looking more seriously at Lewis-Skelly as a potential addition.
Marc Cucurella open to Chelsea departure
During the previous campaign, Cucurella was asked about his long-term plans and whether a return to Barcelona might be on the cards.
The Spaniard spent his youth career at Barcelona before moving to Getafe in 2020.
He said: “Let’s see, never say never, right? I think I wouldn’t live there [in London] forever, but to stay a few more years, I’m very happy.”
Even though Chelsea are interested in Lewis-Skelly, there is no indication at this stage that he is set to leave the club this summer.
Still, with first-team opportunities limited this season, he may have a decision to make if things do not change soon.
On the other hand, Cucurella remains an important player for Chelsea. The club will hope they can keep hold of him despite the ongoing speculation.
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