It is hard to predict what this Chelsea team will look like come the 26/27 season. Xabi Alonso is set to arrive as manager next month. The Spaniard will surely have his own ideas on how to improve this squad. And he sure needs them, having seen the Blues finish 10th in the Premier League and without a trophy in the recently concluded campaign.
Now, it remains to be seen what the future holds for some of these players. Quite a few might not be in Xabi Alonso’s plans. A few others might not have Chelsea in their own plans.
There are some senior players who are believed to be keen to leave. While the rumours around Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer have fortunately faded away in recent weeks, some have not.
Now, according to the highly reliable Fabrizio Romano, Marc Cucurella wants to leave Chelsea. He has already informed them. The Blues value him at €40 million to €50 million, and his priority is to join Barcelona.
Chelsea will need a replace if Cucurella leaves
It is quite clear that Cucurella is eyeing a move away. And to be hoenst, he might have been for a while now.
To be honest, it is hard to blame him. He has been at Chelsea since the summer of 2022, the first one under BlueCo.
The fans have been left frustrated by how things have played out since then. It is reasonable to think that it is the same with the player as well.
Anyways, if Cucurella does end up leaving the club, it would be a big spot for Chelsea to fill. And they will need to sign a quality replacement. They cannot rely on in-house talent.
Admittedly, Jorrel Hato has been excellent for Chelsea in recent times. But it does not feel like he is ready to be a regular starter yet. Even if he is, he needs some competition at the very least.
Who could replace Cucurella at Chelsea?
This might be a question that Chelsea will need to find the answer to as soon as possible. Let us not forget that Alonso is going to have a lot of say in this summer’s business.
So, one easy answer might be Alejandro Grimaldo. He has been linked with a Bayer Leverkusen exit for a while. He also knows Alonso’s football like the back of his hand and it promises to be an easy transition.
At the same time, one cannot overlook someone like Lewis Hall. He would be the dream target in the eyes of many Chelsea fans.
Hall has the potential to be the best left-back in the world one day. And he is a Cobham graduate who got away early in his career.
