Man Utd join race for Chelsea star who ‘wants to leave’ as asking price is revealed | OneFootball

Man Utd have joined the race to sign Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella ahead of the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Red Devils are set to make several new signings over the summer transfer window with a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson already completed.

New permanent head coach Michael Carrick and the rest of the hierarchy at Old Trafford are looking to bring in at least one more midfielder, a left-back and a left-winger, while there have also been rumours that they could stretch their budget to include a centre-back and/or striker signing.

Many of the rumours so far this summer have been around midfielders but now Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo have revealed that Man Utd have entered the race to sign Chelsea left-back Cucurella.

The Spain international ‘has already told Chelsea he wants to leave’ this summer as the Blues set a fee of between €40m and €50m for his services, which the Blues ‘consider this a reasonable price to facilitate a deal that satisfies all parties’.

The report adds: ‘He considers his time at Stamford Bridge to be completely over, and both he and the London club understand that the best solution is a move during this summer transfer window, provided an offer arrives that is appropriate to his quality and his transfer fee.’

Man Utd have ‘closely monitored his situation in recent months’ and could make a move depending on how his future at Chelsea pans out.

Cucurella ‘prioritises playing for Barcelona’ before other options but ‘it’s not something that can be guaranteed in the short term, given that the Catalan club has other transfer priorities’.

Balde could block Cucurella move away from Chelsea

The Spaniard ‘understands that his situation is interconnected with Alejandro Balde’s , who must leave for him to enter the club.’

On Balde’s stance on a summer transfer away from the Camp Nou, Mundo Deportivo adds: ‘Under contract until 2028, he isn’t considering it at the moment, although he didn’t finish the season on a high note seeing Joao Cancelo, who arrived in the winter transfer window, secure the starting left-back position in [Hansi] Flick’s eyes.’

Man Utd CEO Omar Berrada insists that the Red Devils could replicate what they did in last year’s summer transfer window as they eye Premier League experience and promising players from abroad.

Berrada told the club media: “The template for what we did last summer will be replicated in many ways.

“You always go into a window. You don’t know how you’re going to come out of it. But you have to be really prepared. You have to have a clear plan. You have to know exactly what positions you’re looking to strengthen.

“We have to be agile and flexible. But we have a clear plan.

“Jason Wilcox and his team are very well set up to execute that plan. What we saw last season is a good way forward for us, which is we want to gain some experience in youth.

“We want to make some players that have demonstrated they can perform in the Premier League and perhaps also with players that are doing very well outside the Premier League.

“But we will always do it within our terms and ensure that whatever decision we take is not just for the short term but also for the long term.”