Reece James is disappointed to see Marc Cucurella leave Chelsea, with the defender joining Real Madrid.
On Monday, Chelsea announced that Cucurella has moved to Real Madrid, ending a four-year spell in west London.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, the 27-year-old helped the Blues to win the Club World Cup and Conference League.
However, he became unsettled following Enzo Maresca’s decision to walk away from the club.
Who would you rather see at left-back next season, Jorrel Hato or Lewis Hall?
Hall is being linked with a return to Chelsea following Marc Cucurella's move to Real Madrid 🇪🇸
Reece James claims former Chelsea teammate Marc Cucurella is ‘one of the best left-backs in the world’
It is fair to say that James is a huge fan of his former teammate. The Chelsea captain has labelled Cucurella as “one of the best left-backs in the world”, hence his disappointment with his departure.
Speaking to talkSPORT ahead of England’s next World Cup game against Ghana, the right-back said: “He’s obviously an amazing player, one of the best left-backs in the world, for sure. This is football. Players move every few months and I’m devastated to see him go. But I wish him all the best.”
While Cucurella is a top left-back, the Spaniard can also play as a left wing-back or left-sided centre-back.
It has been claimed that new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is an admirer of Cucurella because of his versatility.
With Cucurella no longer at Chelsea, there is room for the Club World Cup holders to bring in a new left-back.
Despite links, it is thought that Mourinho wants to keep Alvaro Carreras, so he may no longer be an option for Chelsea. However, there is still plenty of time left in the transfer window for the Blues to find an alternative to the Real Madrid star.
Marc Cucurella is one of the world’s best left-backs
Not many people will disagree with James’ statement about Cucurella. Last season, the Spain international was far from his best, but he is still a very complete full-back.
One-v-one, you will struggle to find a better defender than Cucurella. Going forward, he can also cause a lot of problems.
In the 2024/25 season, he had a knack for darting into the box and scoring goals. In total, he netted seven times, which is pretty impressive for a left-back.
Cucurella is also excellent at coming inside and helping the team in midfield as an inverted full-back. He is good on the ball and very confident in possession.
Losing him is a big blow for Chelsea. There is no doubt that the former Brighton & Hove Albion man is one of the world’s best left-backs.
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