Whether Chelsea actually gets a reported £50m deal over the line for Marc Cucurella feels like it will be defined by Barcelona's ability to pull another lever in time to stop it. (Only partly joking there)
Football.London understands Chelsea are confident a deal for the Brighton defender can be completed soon with talks at an advanced stage for the 24-year-old.
The perceived quick call to jump for the Spaniard ahead of Manchester City has quickly raised questions over his potential integration with the Blues. Also, how will Thomas Tuchel look to use him at Stamford Bridge? Although he is formally known as a wing-back or full-back, he can play on the left side of a back three, a role he fulfilled impressively against Chelsea last season.
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Ben Chilwell is returning from a long hiatus due to an ACL injury. It is hard to gauge how long it will take the first-choice option to reach the incredible levels of before, giving a Premier League-ready option like Cucurella a chance for minutes in the early months of what is set to be another taxing campaign.
But there could also be a world where both Chilwell and Cucurella play in the same lineup, given the latter's ability to play deeper. The concept of a new formation from Tuchel has been murmured throughout the summer.
Going off what we have already seen from Tuchel at Chelsea matched with Cucurella's attributes, it is interesting to look at three potential setups that could be used in the new season should Todd Boehly seal his third major signing of the summer.
Tried and Trusted: 3-4-2-1
This is the lineup most familiar to Chelsea fans since Tuchel's arrival in 2021 and the one that claimed a Champions League crown.
Although there are whispers of a change to a four-man defence, Tuchel ended pre-season at Udinese with this formation and is expected to use it again on Saturday against Everton in the Premier League opener.
There are two positions that Cucurella would most obviously fill here, either taking the place of Chilwell on the opposite flank to Reece James, usually playing in line to the double six in central midfield.
Or being used on the left of the back-three, potentially alongside Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly, who could play on the right.
The risky change: 4-4-2
The one formation that has been touted this summer is the classic 4-4-2, something Tuchel dabbled with on the US Tour, to pretty disastrous effects in Orlando against Arsenal.
Cucurella or Chilwell would most likely play a more conventional fullback role here on the left side of a four-man defence. There could be the option to field the new signing on the left of a midfield four in front of the fullback, a role he did play for Getafe in La Liga before he made the move to Brighton last year.
The Third Way: 4-3-3
Few formations are probably more related to possession-heavy teams than this one. Unless Cucurella plays a wide attacking role, a left-back role in competition with Chilwell is the only option here.
At Brighton, Cucurella played in a variety of formations for Graham Potter, with a 3-5-1-1, 4-4-2 and 4-3-1-2 all used across the campaign.
Like other players, Tuchel has brought in, like Raheem Sterling, a sense of versatility feels essential within the German's approach. The flexibility to shift into different roles across a challenging and unpredictable nine months was a luxury Tuchel could have been blessed with last season.
Cucurella would not only offer serious backup for Chilwell, but he could also inspire some interesting tactical experimentation from Tuchel moving forwards.
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