Man United take into account Cucurella mortgage transfer after Shaw harm blow
The Red Devils are assessing their left-back choices after Luke Shaw not too long ago suffered a muscle harm. United initially stated that the England worldwide could be sidelined for a number of weeks, with supervisor Erik ten Hag later confirming earlier than Saturday’s chaotic comeback win over Nottingham Forest that he could be out for longer than Mason Mount, who is anticipated to overlook as much as six weeks with a hamstring downside.
Reports recommend Shaw might be dealing with as much as two months within the remedy room, leaving United notably brief on senior choices on the left-hand aspect of defence with deputy Tyrell Malacia additionally presently out injured and Brandon Williams having been loaned out to Championship aspect Ipswich earlier this week.
United do have younger Spanish defender Alvaro Fernandez as a possible choice at left-back, whereas versatile right-back Diogo Dalot crammed in on the alternative aspect within the 3-2 Premier League win over Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday.
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Standard Sport understands that United are contemplating numerous potential new left-back choices earlier than the summer season switch window closes for enterprise at 11pm BST on Friday evening, together with Cucurella.
However, it’s unclear at this stage if Chelsea could be keen to sanction the Spaniard’s transfer to a top-flight rival.
Cucurella has struggled notably since shifting to Stamford Bridge from Brighton in a deal value greater than £60million final summer season and signing a six-year contract.
The 25-year-old was steadily criticised for his below-par defensive shows final season regardless of briefly reuniting with ex-Seagulls boss Graham Potter in west London, even booed by sections of Chelsea’s personal fanbase throughout successive matches towards West Ham and Borussia Dortmund in February.
Chelsea had been open to promoting Cucurella this summer season and sounded out golf equipment in Saudi Arabia over potential strikes, with Atletico Madrid additionally briefly eager on a deal and hyperlinks to Newcastle, who moved for Blues team-mate Lewis Hall as a substitute.
On the transfer? Marc Cucurella might swap Chelsea for Manchester United earlier than the deadline
/ Chelsea FC through Getty ImagesHowever, the Spain worldwide discouraged curiosity as he hoped to combat for his place at Chelsea and impress new supervisor Mauricio Pochettino, that includes throughout pre-season however but to make an look throughout the early phases of the 2023/24 marketing campaign, remaining an unused substitute for all three top-flight matches to date towards Liverpool, West Ham and Luton.
Cucurella is firmly behind Ben Chilwell within the left-back pecking order underneath Pochettino, although the exit of common academy graduate Hall to boyhood membership Newcastle on an preliminary season-long mortgage deal that features an obligation to purchase value as much as £35m has thinned the ranks of back-ups considerably, although the likes of Ian Maatsen stay on the books.
As nicely as Cucurella, United have additionally been linked with Tottenham’s Sergio Reguilon and former Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso, now of Barcelona, as they weigh up an answer to their left-back disaster earlier than the switch deadline.
Ten Hag is with out a number of gamers so early within the season on account of harm, together with new £72m striker Rasmus Hojlund, Shaw, Mount, Malacia, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Tom Heaton. Key centre-back Raphael Varane additionally suffered a difficulty throughout the win over Forest.