Chelsea rejected loan to buy offer from Manchester City for 25-year-old star in January - Reports
Manchester City reportedly made a discreet attempt to secure the services of Chelsea youngster Marc Cucurella, but their proposal was met with a resounding no from the Chelsea hierarchy. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed the exclusive information involving the two English clubs.
Reported via Pys (on X, formerly Twitter), who credited Romano for the source, the news stated that City secretly offered a loan deal with an option to buy for Cucurella this summer. It was rejected by Chelsea, for reasons unknown.
This saga traces back to last year when Cucurella's name was regularly associated with a potential move to Manchester City. Pep Guardiola, the City manager, openly acknowledged the Spaniard as a prime candidate to fill the void left by Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back back in 2022.
However, the deal never materialized as Manchester City resisted to match Brighton & Hove Albion's valuation of Cucurella. This prompted Chelsea to swoop in and secure his services for a hefty initial fee of £55 million, which could rise to £62 million with performance-related bonuses.
Since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, Cucurella has donned the Chelsea blue in 34 matches and contributed two assists to the team's cause. Yet, the winds of change have blown through Chelsea this season with the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach.
Under Pochettino's stewardship, Cucurella has struggled to secure a spot in the starting XI in the Premier League. However, he did make a notable appearance in the EFL Cup, helping the Blues to a 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon on August 30, 2023.
Interestingly, Cucurella was also linked with a loan move to Manchester United during the summer transfer window, but the speculated transfer failed to materialize, leaving him at Stamford Bridge.
The future remains uncertain for Marc Cucurella as he grapples with the prospect of breaking into the starting lineup at Stamford Bridge under the new regime of Mauricio Pochettino.
Manchester City keeping a close eye on Ian Maatsen amidst his contractual complications at Chelsea - Report
Manchester City is closely monitoring the contract situation of Chelsea's left-back, Ian Maatsen, as per Plant Sport. The 21-year-old Dutch player, who excelled during a loan spell at Burnley last season, returned to Stamford Bridge this summer with only a year left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge.
His future was further complicated when a reported agreement to sell him back to Burnley was arranged in the final days of the summer transfer window. It was initially set to be a loan deal with a subsequent permanent transfer worth £31.5 million next summer.
However, Maatsen declined the opportunity. With the transfer window now closed, the Blues are eager to secure Maatsen's future. Pochettino has supported him and given him significant playing time this season, including four senior team appearances.
However, the player is yet to pen a new deal with the Blues. It will be interesting to see if Manchester City's reported entry into the foray changes the dynamics between the player and Chelsea.