Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella could be completely frozen out after missing out on a late move to Manchester United.
United didn’t expect to be in the market for a left back before the transfer deadline but were forced into action.
Luke Shaw’s injury is expected to keep him out for a couple of months whilst there is no timescale for Tyrell Malacia’s return.
Alvaro Fernandez wasn’t considered to be ready for Premier League action and was instead loaned out to Granada.
United explored signing a number of left backs, including the likes of Nicolas Tagliafico and Marcos Alonso, but went for Sergio Reguilon.
Marc Cucurella move broke down
Reguilon has joined on loan from Tottenham Hotspur but may well be sent back in the January transfer window.
United did look at another Spanish, London-based left back though with Reguilon seemingly a fall-back option.
Reports from Spanish newspaper Marca suggested that United were close to signing Chelsea left back Marc Cucurella on loan.
A loan deal seemed to be on the cards with Cucurella only backup to Ben Chilwell at Chelsea.
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Things became complicated when Chelsea started Cucurella in a Carabao Cup tie against Wimbledon, making him cup-tied and complicating a potential January return to Chelsea.
United ended up ditching the move for Cucurella and instead signed Reguilon as favourable terms – including a break clause for January – were struck with Tottenham.
Cucurella now faces Chelsea freeze-out
Cucurella was probably gutted at missing out on that move.
The former Barcelona man just hasn’t lived up to the billing since Chelsea struck a deal worth up to £63million in 2022.
Cucurella would have loved a chance to try and rekindle his Brighton and Hove Albion form with United, but it wasn’t to be.
The Spaniard now faces a tricky few months as the London Evening Standard report that Cucurella ‘faces exile’ from the Chelsea squad after his United move collapsed.
Mauricio Pochettino is seemingly ready to axe both Cucurella and defender Trevoh Chalobah ahead of the January window.
Chelsea will hope to cash in on both of them, but United surely won’t be chasing him again with Shaw and Malacia likely to be back by then.