As multiple publications have confirmed an acceleration in developments to bring Marc Cucurella to Manchester United on an initial loan, the certainty for a faction of support to rise angrily and share their two cents about why he is unsuitable is inevitable.
For this very reason, I have decided to share my two cents about why the move makes sense and how it will benefit the squad as United heads into a congested fixture schedule that will see participation across four fronts.
Three categories will surface to play down the move and discredit the player before he makes any potential switch. The first will be the prospect of harming the development of youth starlet Álvaro Fernández. The second will be his unsuccessful stint at Chelsea, and the third will be the harm his move could cause any potential signings in other areas.
To begin – let me make one point abundantly clear – I am a big fan of Fernández and the potential ability he brings to the senior team. He is a player coveted by many of Europe’s finest and has starred as a youth player at the club. His development has ticked every box – with his name etched on the famous Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award. Furthermore, his loan stint at Championship side Preston North End returned the club’s Young Player of the Year award.
As my colleague, Brian Murphy, highlighted in the most recent episode of the Strettycast – what sort of message would it send to the rest of the youth team if the Spaniard’s performances didn’t return an opportunity in the senior squad?
I couldn’t agree more, and I pray he gets his chance. However, if United were to proceed past this week’s transfer window with three full-backs across two positions – while Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are on the recuperation table – I fear for the potential damage this could cause the team and this young player.
Shaw may be unavailable until early 2024, and there are few positive updates on the return date of Malacia. Erik ten Hag selected Diogo Dalot as a left-back against Nottingham Forest, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka the early-season favourite on the right. Outside of those two, the club would have Fernández as the final recognised full-back for selection. It does not take a genius to understand the repercussions of one injury to either senior player.
Secondly, we turn attention to the forgettable 2022/23 campaign of Chelsea Football Club. It was bizarre, unique and, for want of a better word, laughable! Cucurella made the move from Brighton for an initial £55 million. Disregarding a handful of credible performances, namely, his player of the match showing against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Round of 16, his time at Stamford Bridge has been forgettable.
There has been little to write home about since he followed Graham Potter to the Bridge. That said, there are few – if any – of the Chelsea squad who can hold their head high after a traumatic season that saw the London giants fall to a staggering 12th-place finish in the Premier League.
I like to apply the logic of form being temporary and class being permanent to many of my discussions. I have used the very logic when arguing Marcus Rashford’s value to the side ahead of last season. I felt he deserved a pardon, given the nature of his back injury and the trauma he endured off the field. We all know how last season went for the Wythenshawe lad.
With Cucurella, I would prefer to gauge his potential impact on the form he showed at an established side in Brighton. A catalogue of impressive performances highlighted his undeniable ability on and off the ball, driving the demand for signature to the top.
He is a technically gifted footballer with a tremendous passing spectrum in his locker. During his last campaign with Brighton, he ranked in the 90th percentile for passes completed and into the final third. He also welcomes possession and was ranked in the 88th percentile for balls received, as well as progressive passes and passes into the opposition penalty area.
Another notable factor is his ability to drive forward while carrying through defensive to attacking transitions. He ranked in the 88th percentile for progressive carries and in the 86th percentile for carries into the opposition’s final third.
His work-rate off the ball was well noted, and he ranked in the 98th percentile for tackles in the final third. He is a tracking monster, and his ball recoveries were among the best in Europe in the 92 percentile, while he was in the 89th percentile for tackles won.
When we consider the third topic about a potential move jeopardising any other crucial positions, I feel I have already covered why a player of this ilk is necessary for Manchester United in their current situation. First and foremost, he would provide squad depth as the side looks to begin their quest for three-cup competitions.
If last season is anything to go by, Ten Hag will be gunning for as much silverware as he can get his hands on and will require as many able-bodied first-team players to cover multiple positions. Cucurella is a talented 25-year-old who can offer much to this squad.
Furthermore, he is a Spanish native who has spent his career occupying the left side of defence. It would be foolish to disregard the benefits he can provide his young compatriot Álvaro Fernández. Having an experienced arm around your shoulder in training – one that can relate to you as only a fellow Spaniard – can only enhance the prospect of developing the talents of an aspiring 20-year-old.
We appear to be closing in on a decision for the player, and personal terms are reportedly agreed. His arrival can supply so many advantages to this side, and I urge you to view the entire picture before lamenting the player and the manager’s vision in bringing him to the Theatre of Dreams.
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If he joins, then, for however long, he is representing our Club and deserves our full support. Anyone prejudging him negatively is saying they know better than our Manager, which, I feel, is unlikely.