- Man Utd battle Man City for Chelsea star Marc Cucurella
- Atletico Madrid also interested
- Spaniard could cost around £40m
Manchester United have reportedly entered the race to sign Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella. The Spaniard is also on Manchester City’s radar and could seek a Stamford Bridge exit.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reports that United are battling City for Cucurella, who wants out of west London. The Blues are open to a sale, but the player prefers a return to Barcelona.
There’s no word on whether Barca are keen on entering the mix, but Atletico Madrid is the La Liga club showing the most interest. He’s expected to make a decision over his future after the World Cup with Spain.
Man Utd eye Cucurella
Cucurella has previously been linked with United and nearly joined the club back in the summer of 2023. A loan offer was made to Chelsea, but their £7m loan fee saw the Reds turn to Sergio Reguilon from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 27-year-old had endured a dismal spell with the Blues up until that point. He failed to live up to expectations following a £60m move from Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2022.
Cucurella has since been one of the best performers at Stamford Bridge, taking the left-back starting berth. This season, he made 50 appearances across competitions, posting one goal and four assists.
United are linked with several left-backs as they look to hand Luke Shaw more competition. One of those is Lewis Hall, but Newcastle United will reportedly be demanding a ‘record fee’ for the player.
Cucurella could be keen
United might fancy their chances of signing Cucurella, given he previously agreed personal terms with the club. Back in late August 2023, Fabrizio Romano reported that the player gave the green light.
The main issue is the threat of City as Enzo Maresca is set to succeed Pep Guardiola. He managed the Spaniard during his time at Chelsea and the pair held a strong relationship.
Barca don’t seem to be interested despite the player preferring a return to Camp Nou. The report claims that he could cost around €40-50m (£35-45m) which is a decent fee for a player with three years left on his contract.
