Marc Cucurella’s move to Chelsea from Brighton is COMPLETE – with Thomas Tuchel’s side paying £52.5m

‘No agreement has been reached with ANY club to sell Marc Cucurella’: Brighton release a statement insisting Spanish defender has NOT yet completed his  £52.5m move to Chelsea, despite it being widely reported

  • Chelsea have signed defender Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £52.5million
  • Sportsmail reported on Tuesday the Blues were close to a deal of around £50m
  • The deal takes Blues’ total summer spend to £145.5m after several big transfers
  • Pundit Gary Neville has torn into new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, accusing the US tycoon of being ‘naive’ and ‘looking like he wants to play Football Manager’

Chelsea have signed Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £52.5million. 

Sportsmail reported on Tuesday night that the west London side were close to a deal worth around £50m for the versatile Spanish defender, and it is now confirmed that his move to Stamford Bridge is complete.

The transfer takes Chelsea’s total spend this summer to £145.5m after moves for Man City’s Raheem Sterling, Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and young goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina from Chicago Fire. 

And pundit Gary Neville tore into new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, accusing him of being ‘naive’ and ‘looking like he wants to play Football Manager’. 

Chelsea have confirmed the £52.5million signing of Marc Cucurella (pictured) from Brighton

He has been convinced of Chelsea’s project under Thomas Tuchel and new owner Todd Boehly

The transfer takes Chelsea's total summer spend to £145.5m - and Gary Neville tore into new owner Boehly, accusing him of naivety and 'looking like he wants to play Football Manager'

The transfer takes Chelsea’s total summer spend to £145.5m – and Gary Neville tore into new owner Boehly, accusing him of naivety and ‘looking like he wants to play Football Manager’

The 24year-old had already agreed to join the club but was awaiting the go-ahead once the finer details of the fee and payment were passed by Brighton’s owners. 

Cucurella had handed in a transfer request last week after seeing Manchester City thwarted in their attempts to sign him for under £40m. 

Pep Guardiola’s Premier League title holders are keen to strengthen at left back after the departure of Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal and amid Benjamin Mendy’s ongoing absence, with only Joao Cancelo as a senior option in that position. 

But City have turned their attention to Anderlecht star Sergio Gomez as an alternative after Chelsea hijacked their move for Cucurella. 

The 24-year-old joined Brighton from Getafe for £15m last summer but impressed in his debut season. 

Cucurella's arrival will allow Malang Sarr to move to Monaco on loan with a £10m option to buy

Cucurella’s arrival will allow Malang Sarr to move to Monaco on loan with a £10m option to buy

For their part, Brighton are discussing a separate deal for Chelsea centre-back Levi Colwill, 19

For their part, Brighton are discussing a separate deal for Chelsea centre-back Levi Colwill, 19

It had been considered that the former Barcelona academy graduate only wanted to join up with Pep Guardiola but he has been convinced of Chelsea’s project under Thomas Tuchel and new owner Todd Boehly.

For their part, Brighton are discussing a separate deal for Chelsea centre-back Levi Colwill, 19, who impressed on loan at Huddersfield last season and have expressed an interest in RB Leipzig’s former Manchester City full-back Angelino.

Chelsea have had a chaotic couple of weeks striving to strengthen Tuchel’s defensive options but the addition of Cucurella, Brighton’s Player of the Year last season, will be a major coup.

Cucurella’s arrival will pave the way for Malang Sarr to move to Monaco on loan with an option to buy for around £10m, and, potentially, for Ben Chilwell’s backup Marcos Alonso to move to Barcelona.

Chelsea want to add at least one more centre-back while they have also enquired about Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters as well as Denzel Dumfries at Inter Milan.

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