Chelsea are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella and are willing to pay up to the £50m asking price for the Manchester City target.
The Spanish star handed in a transfer request on Friday in a bid to push through a move to City but the Premier League champions will not pay the asking price, with Chelsea now in pole position to sign the 24-year-old.
The Seagulls had previously turned down a £30m bid for the full-back from Guardiola’s side, who are looking for a replacement for Zinchenko after he joined Arsenal.
Cucurella enjoyed a successful first Premier League season after joining from Getafe in a deal worth around £15m last summer and was even named Brighton’s player of the season.
Brighton do not want to let Cucurella leave and it would take a big offer for them to sell as he has four years left on his contract at the Amex. But, the left-back has now pushed for a move by asking to be sold.
Chelsea have now moved for Cucurella with doubts surrounding the future of Marcos Alonso, with Barcelona wanting to sign the 31-year-old this summer.
While, Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta is also wanted by the Spanish giants with the defender having one year left on his deal.
First-choice left-back Ben Chilwell, who joined from Leicester in August 2020 for £50m, missed much of last season with a knee injury but has returned to full fitness in pre-season.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have already made two signings this summer with the arrivals of Raheem Sterling for £47.5m from City and Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in a £33m deal.
