Marc Cucurella, Raheem Sterling in conversation during training
Chelsea are reportedly considering upgrading at left-back after shipping recent signing Marc Cucurella out in the January window.
The Blues’ transfer record has been hit and miss of late. It’s fair to say there have been more misses than hits over the past few transfer windows.
A 12th-placed finish last season and the current position of 14th owe themselves largely to transfer failings. Indeed, over £1billion has been spent since Todd Boehly became chairman, and Chelsea have been a worse team off the back of massive spending.
Other than Enzo Fernandez, who’s shown a lot of promise, and Raheem Sterling, who top-scored last season and is currently this season’s top-scorer, new signings under Boehly haven’t been massively successful.
Kalidou Koulibaly, for example, lasted just a season before he was shipped out to Saudi Arabia.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also stayed at Stamford Bridge for a single campaign, before he made a move to Marseille this summer.
Cucurella could have also walked out the door in the summer, albeit on loan. Manchester United were tracking him as they needed a new left-back amid injury troubles, but instead opted for Sergio Reguilon.
Struggling left-back Cucurella – who’s yet to play a Premier League game this season – could soon see his Blues career end for good, though.
Chelsea plotting Cucurella upgrade
Football Insider reports Chelsea ‘could explore a move for a new left-back’ in January. It’s reported they may choose to do so ‘if they can find a suitor for Cucurella’.
Indeed, they’re seemingly looking to upgrade after moving him on, and that makes sense given his lack of form last season and Mauricio Pochettino’s reluctance to play him this term.
That might change, though, as a consequence of an injury Ben Chilwell picked up in the week.
Pochettino stated he thinks the left-back’s injury is “bad news” and that he’s “really sad” suggests it’s quite a serious one.
If Chilwell is sidelined for a while, Chelsea might decide not to get rid of Cucurella.
While previously they thought they’d be getting one man in and letting one man go, if they go down their planned route but with Chilwell out of action, they’ll be a man down from where they were.
It remains to be seen how serious the Englishman’s injury is, and therefore what the Blues are going to do with Cucurella.
However, if Chilwell can’t play for the rest of the season, it seems unlikely they’ll get rid of Cucurella.
They might, however, still pursue a new left-back, as their desire to upgrade on the Spaniard will surely be advanced if he’s further up the pecking order.
