In recent weeks, there have been several indications that Manchester City may dip their toes back into the transfer market to secure the services of a brand-new left-back ahead of the new season.
Oleksandr Zinchenko has been heavily speculated with a switch away from the Etihad Stadium in the coming weeks, with the likes of Barcelona, West Ham, Aston Villa and Leicester City all reported to be interested in the Sky Blues’ utility man.
There has also been a recent eye-opening suggestion that Pep Guardiola privately believes that despite Joao Cancelo’s rousing success as a makeshift left-back over the course of the 2021/22 season, the Portuguese international is ‘not a natural fit’ in the position.
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As a result, the background behind the Premier League champions pushing to prise away Marc Cucurella from Brighton & Hove Albion before the start of the new campaign is certainly a story that has legs to it.
It was recently claimed by Spanish journalists Matteo Moretto and Albert Roge that Manchester City’s ‘priority objective’ in the summer transfer window was to wrap up the signing of the 23-year old. The club are reportedly ‘awaiting’ departures before they make their first official offer to accelerate the process of getting a deal for the highly-rated defender over the line. On a positive note, it was noted that reaching an ‘agreement’ with the player was not set to be a ‘problem’.
However, a new and exclusive update from the ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that the six-time Premier League winners are finally prepared to kick their approach for the Spanish international into gear.
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As per the latest information from the Italian journalist, Manchester City are now ‘ready’ to submit their opening proposal to Brighton & Hove Albion in a bid to sign Marc Cucurella ahead of next season. It is further claimed that City are ready to ‘proceed’ with their first bid, with ‘advanced talks’ expected between both clubs ‘in the next days’.
Confirming reports from other quarters, Fabrizio Romano states that the La Masia graduate is Manchester City's top target at left-back, as manager Pep Guardiola ‘really’ wants to work alongside his fellow countryman.
With Erling Haaland’s signing confirmed by Manchester City earlier this week, the proactiveness shown by the reigning champions of England to finalise a deal for Marc Cucurella is a sign of the fact that they aim to be in the hunt for even more silverware next term.
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Ultimately, it is understandable why Pep Guardiola is rubbing his hands together at the potential arrival of the former Getafe defender, as the player’s blend of inch-perfect crossing, tremendous ball-carrying, and tactical versatility makes him the all-encompassing left-back Manchester City have been crying out for years.
Featured Image Credit: PHC Images / AlamyTopics: Marc Cucurella, Brighton And Hove Albion, Manchester City, Manchester City Transfer News & Rumours, Premier League, Football, Transfers