If things weren't bad enough for Chelsea's departures this summer, Marcos Alonso has confirmed that he wants to leave. Thomas Tuchel will have lost at least two centre-backs and a full-back in the space of his 17-month management of the Blues. Of course, the loss of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen was completely out of his hands, however, Alonso still has one year left on his contract.
It will be an expensive summer for Chelsea, and they will need to manage their £200million budget given by their new owner Todd Boehly. In looking for Alonso replacements, Marc Cucurella has been scouted as a good enough fit to fill the void. However, there are a couple of deterrents to consider, including the whopping price tag placed on the left back.
Brighton will demand £45million for the Spaniard. Considering that Ben Chilwell cost the Blues £50million, surely Tuchel will not be looking for another expensive left-back.
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There's panic buying, and there's buying unnecessarily. Does Chelsea need a complete makeover? Yes. Is Cucurella the right fit to rival Ben Chilwell next season? Yes. But we must consider the fact that Emerson Palmieri is still an option for Tuchel. As much as a new addition to the squad sounds tantalising, the price tag is far too much for Cucurella. He is a brilliant player and has settled into the Premier League with ease, but that does not mean the Blues should pay such an amount.
Manchester City are also reportedly interested in Cucurella. When asked about these links during his visit to Spain, he said,
"If an opportunity comes, you have to take it. There are things or teams to which you can't say no."
I would like to think that Chelsea also falls into the category of teams you "can't say no to". Because of this, Chelsea must say no first. The most important thing for Cucurella is his progression, and he should focus on building on that, whilst Chelsea should focus their priorities elsewhere. I would say this for any other left-back worth over £25million.
With Emerson still in the picture, there is no need to overspend on an area that is already well equipped. Tuchel will be looking to strengthen his centre-back options before moving on to the midfield. If there is room for another left-back with the priorities out of the way, Ivan Perisic is looking to leave Inter Milan this summer on a free.
As a player who has made that left wing-back role look easy, transferring the 33-year-old over to the Bridge would be an absolute steal. Rumours are that Tuchel isn't willing to pay that figure for the Brighton player.
Tough decisions to cut costs will be made throughout the summer. Cucurella will not be the only tough choice that Chelsea will need to make.
