arc Cucurella’s impending move to Chelsea has raised many questions – most notably, where will he play? The attacking full-back could soon find himself competing with Ben Chilwell, with the Blues closing in on a £52.5m deal to sign him from Brighton. While there is no doubting his quality, there are concerns about where Cucurella will fit in at Chelsea. The equation will be complex for Thomas Tuchel to solve but, with the start of the new season just days away, he is keen to add as much quality as possible after missing out on a number of targets. The need for a centre-back has long been a priority for Chelsea, but they have tried and failed to sign Matthijs de Ligt, Nathan Ake, Presnel Kimpembe and Jules Kounde.
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Marc Cucurella could line up in Thomas Tuchel’s trio / BuildLineUp/Standard Sport A new full-back was also on the agenda, but two new centre-backs were the priority after the club lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers. Despite standing just 5ft 6in tall, Cucurella has played at center for Brighton in a back three. Likewise, Chilwell played there at Leicester under Brendan Rodgers. It would provide an option, albeit an imperfect one, for Tuchel to get both players on the pitch together. The problem is that he would nullify one of the two best attacking full-backs in the Premier League, minimizing the attributes that convinced Chelsea to spend £50m on both. Tuchel is also keen to switch to a back four when needed next season, and could do so when Chilwell and Cucurella are in the squad. Marc Cucurella with 4-4-2 for Chelsea / BuildLineUp/Standard Sport In last month’s 4-0 defeat by Arsenal, Chelsea started in a 4-4-2 formation and could do the same with one of Chilwell or Cucurella on the left of midfield. They could also switch one of the two to the right in a 3-4-3, pushing Reece James back to centre-back and using one of the left-backs as an inverted full-back. Tuchel did the same in reverse last season, using James on the left when he felt the tactical need or when injuries hit the team. Cucurella and Chilwell will need to be flexible to help Chelsea achieve their goals as they experiment with new formations after a strange transfer window. Thomas Tuchel could drop Ben Chilwell to play Marc Cucurella on the left / BuildLineUp/Standard Sport There is still uncertainty over the transfer window at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are still keen to sign more defenders, with Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana and RB Leipzig’s Josco Guardiol on the agenda. They also need to sell players, with Fulham’s future targets Malang Sarr, Marcos Alonso and Barcelona’s Emerson Palmieri. Chelsea have less than a month to find balance on and off the pitch. Tuchel and new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are set for a busy month with Chelsea one of the most active clubs in the transfer market between now and the transfer window closing on September 1.
