Brighton have rejected Manchester City’s opening offer of £30m for Marc Cucurella. City want to sign a left-back after agreeing to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal, but Brighton have set an asking price of £50m for Cucurella.
The Spaniard has made a huge impact since joining Graham Potter’s side for £15.4m from Getafe last year. The player, who turns 24 on Friday, quickly adapted to English football and City have made him one of their top targets.
Cucurella is understood to be interested in joining the champions and there is a feeling that the deal will go through. However, City hope to pay less than £50m and there is a chance that they could walk away if Brighton hold firm on their valuation of a player who has four years on his deal. Brighton rate Cucurella as one of their biggest assets and would like to keep him.
Pep Guardiola holds the Barcelona youth product in high esteem. Cucurella, who has also been heavily scouted by Chelsea, is strong defensively and accomplished in possession. He fits the profile of a modern full-back and signing him would plug the one glaring hole in City’s squad.
Left-back was a problem position for Guardiola last season. Zinchenko was used there despite wanting to play in central midfield and João Cancelo also impressed in the role despite being right-footed.
With Zinchenko on the verge of joining Arsenal, Cancelo will be the only senior left-back at City’s disposal. Guardiola has suggested that the versatile Nathan Aké could fill in on the left after City’s decision not to sell the centre-back to Chelsea, and he has also talked up the 19-year-old academy prospect Josh Wilson-Esbrand, but buying Cucurella would be the ideal solution.
