Chelsea have reportedly turned their attention to trying to sign Marc Cucurella from Brighton this summer.
According to Mail Online, the Blues are considering swooping in as talks regarding a move to Manchester City have stalled following an insistance of a £50m fee.
The Spaniard enjoyed a breakout season on the coast last season, with him being a crucial part to another impressive campaign for the Seagulls.
Reports began to speculate that he had handed in a transfer request this summer, with the Champions keen to strike a deal for the 26-year-old
They are in the market for a wide defender after agreeing a deal to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal this summer, a player Chelsea were reportedly keen on signing due to his versatility.
However, Mail Online claim they are set to look to address that concern by signing Cucurella this summer.
Chelsea interested in Cucurella
Despite this, the report goes on to say the player is set on featuring under Pep Guardiola, citing his Barcelona routes as a reason behind the choice.
With the Spaniard most commonly featuring at left-back, the signing seems a strange one given the fact that Ben Chilwell is close to returning to full fitness following his season-ending injury last year.
Even though Marcos Alonso is still rumoured to be leaving this summer, the idea that Cucurella would be coming in as a backup is difficult to believe.
With that being said, the signing looks far more appropriate for City, with them only having Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker as obvious choices for the positions of wide defenders.
Chelsea’s preference should certainly sit with signing at least one top-quality central defender this month, with them yet to fully replace the defensive departures yet this summer.
The club are currently linked with Wesley Fofana as the latest centre-back target, however Leicester City’s reluctance to sell him could make it become the latest long-term saga for the club to deal with.