Marc Cucurella is reacting brilliantly to his aborted switch to Manchester United with the one-time Premier League misfit ‘very happy’ with his recent Chelsea revival.
As the Spaniard saw a late-summer switch to Manchester United fall through, you’d have got long odds on Marc Cucurella forcing his way back into Mauricio Pochettino’s XI. Even longer on Cucurella establishing himself as a right-back in the absence of injured captain Reece James.
Chelsea have won three of their last four games now in all competitions, and each of those victories have come with the left-back lining up on the opposite flank.
This might not have been the role Chelsea envisaged when they paid £62 million to sign the poodle-haired stopper from Brighton back in 2022 but, with the tide turning under Pochettino, Cucurella is suddenly threatening to become one of this season’s most unexpected success stories.
Manchester United nearly signed Marc Cucurella
“I always said I’m very happy here,” Cucurella says, via Planet Sport; the defender bouncing back from a testing couple of weeks at the end of August.
“There were one or two weeks that were a little bit difficult for me but I’m happy. I have friends here. Sometimes, it’s part of football with moves. But now I’m ready to work hard, wait for my opportunity and, when it comes, to help the team.
“Then the most important thing is to win games.”
According to The Sun, Cucurella was ‘gutted’ when learning that he would not, after all, be joining Manchester United on loan. The Red Devils turned to Tottenham’s Sergio Reguilon instead after Chelsea refused to accept the inclusion of a ‘break clause’ in the 25-year-old’s contract.
Chelsea revival is getting started
“I wasn’t involved (in those Man United talks),” Pochettino tells The Metro. “But he’s our player and I’ve been clear; he has chances, he can play.
“Marc is going to work hard. It’s really clear. He’s in our plans and, if he deserves to play, he will play.”
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