Cucurella, who has been a target for Manchester City, has already agreed personal terms and the Spanish defender’s imminent arrival will be a major boost for Thomas Tuchel as he tries to rebuild Chelsea’s defence. However, Brighton, whose hunt for a new left-back has seen them fail with moves for Tottenham Hotspur’s Sergio Regio and Porto’s Zaydou Sanusi, did not make it easy for Tuchel to sign the former Getafe man. The south coast club are under little financial pressure to sell and have made it clear that a deal for Koukourela is dependent on strengthening their defensive options. Chelsea were reluctant to sell Colwill, who is one of the brightest prospects in their academy, and initially told Brighton they were only willing to take the defender on loan. However, this deal did not sit well with Brighton and talks between the clubs are continuing over a permanent deal for Colwill. It is expected that Chelsea, who have approached Barcelona over a deal for Dutch midfielder Frankie de Jong, have insisted on inserting a buyout clause in the youngster’s contract. Chelsea have agreed a £20m deal for Aston Villa’s Carney Chukwuemeka Picture: Rebecca Naden/Reuters The deal will be seen as a win for both sides. In Colwill, who impressed on loan at Huddersfield last season, Brighton get one of the most exciting new players in the country. As for Chelsea, who are looking to strengthen their defense after losing Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rüdiger, they are set to sign a player who was one of the Premier League’s breakthrough stars last season. Cucurella, who is expected to sign a six-year deal, caught the eye after joining Brighton last season. The 24-year-old was expected to join City, only for the champions to refuse to match Brighton’s asking price, opening the door for Chelsea. Tuchel, who is chasing a left-footed defender, admires Cucurella’s strong defence, technical ability and threat in the final third. The former Barcelona youth product will provide competition to Ben Chilwell at left-back and left wing-back, although there is an option for them to play in the same team – Tuchel also sees Cucurella as a good option at left centre-back.
