Marc Cucurella was one of the Premier League’s most entertaining left-backs last year, and Graham Potter’s Brighton and Hove Albion benefited greatly from his superb balance between defense and offense. The Spanish player, who was formerly a member of the Espanyol Academy, progressed through the La Masia divisions and participated in a senior match for Barcelona during the 2017 Copa Del Rey.
After that, Barcelona loaned him to Eibar before selling him for €2 million with a €4 million buyback clause. Cucurella was loaned to Getafe with the option to purchase when it appeared that he had improved enough.
How was Marc Cucurella lost to Barcelona?
Cucurella was sold by Getafe to Brighton for €18 million; Barcelona received only €1.8 million. Barcelona would have received €7.2m, or four times as much money, had Bartomeu kept the share for future sales at 10%.
However, this happens frequently in sports, particularly by club executives who have a skewed perception of a player’s potential. After selling Cucurella to Getafe, Barcelona spent €18 million on the purchase of Junior Firpo, although they seldom used the defender’s talents and had to sell him to Leeds United at a loss.
Many La Blaugrana supporters believe that 24-year-old Cucurella would be a respectable replacement for Jordi Alba, who is likely to leave Barcelona soon. But right now, buying him will set you back far more money than he was originally sold for.
Thomas Tuchel is rumored to be a great fan of Cucurella, and Chelsea are said to have expressed interest in him. Chelsea wants to send a message during the transfer window after spending the entire summer competing with Barcelona for players. The Chelsea hierarchy needs to add more defensive reinforcements and is becoming more concerned about possible fan backlash if proper commercial practices are not followed.
While Chelsea is looking to splash the cash and Cucurella has reportedly already submitted a transfer request, Brighton has been holding out for £50 million (€60 million).
Despite their awful choice from a few years ago, Barcelona will once more benefit in kind.
The fans want to witness that response when football puts both sides back together as it has been a summer of Barcelona in Chelsea’s affairs.
Read Also: 5 DON’Ts AT A FORMAL FUNCTION