Marc Cucurella can be Chelsea's saviour in more ways than one this season. After the Spaniard's toils in the early part of the campaign it may come as a shock, but his turnaround in recent weeks has been one of a player worth the £62m that was paid for him last summer.
Todd Boehly and Co may well admit that the 24-year-old was not a player of that value but the interest from Manchester City, success over a short space of time on the south coast, and need for another left-sided defender made him a standout candidate. Having been looked at the year before at Getafe, Cucurella was understandably a strong possibility.
Chelsea may now be requiring him more than ever ahead of a tricky end to the season. Although the league near enough holds nothing of benefit, the Champions League opportunities and chances of progression between now and the next campaign are important.
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Having not played for three matches - left out of the squad entirely - after being booed off in the 1-1 draw away to West Ham last month, Cucurella was a shadow of the player that Chelsea saw twice against them last season. The Cucurella that took to the field against Borussia Dortmund was much closer to the rampaging and dynamic defender the club signed.
Since then his challenges of moving club and settling have come out in the open with Graham Potter revealing that his home was robbed. Now, with back-to-back appearances and two wins on the bounce, Cucurella is playing an important role in the absence of Thiago Silva, allowing Potter to stay with a back three, pushing Kalidou Koulibaly into the middle.
Cucurella's versatility also allows Potter the freedom to move between a back three and back four when needed too. Albeit brief, but this U-turn in form has seen him in position to make Luis Enrique's Spain squad for the upcoming international break. As for the challenge ahead of him, it is the small task of Erling Haaland.
Spain face Norway on Saturday, March 25 and in that battle Cucurella will have to stop the most in-form striker in the world. Haaland, fresh off the back of firing in five for Manchester City on Tuesday, is yet to score against Cucurella and Chelsea this season but is making light work of most opposition.
If the former Brighton defender can get the better of the 22-year-old Nordic finisher then it would be another feather in his cap at a time that he needs it most. Plus, with the interest of City in Ben Chilwell, the chance of Cucurella having a new role at Stamford Bridge and being first choice isn't out of the equation.
It is also possible for Cucurella to face Haaland again for his club this season before the two sides face in the league - already their fourth meeting of the season - with the clubs eligible to draw each other in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
There is also the added factor that Chelsea are still searching for a new left-sided defender, with Josko Gvardiol on the radar of both Chelsea and City. The RB Leipzig centre-back was shown up himself by Haaland in the Champions League but it regarded as one of the best young talents in the game.
Gvardiol would provide competition for Cucurella in the back three if he were to join but the pacey wideman has a chance to show show why a new player for £97m in defence isn't necessary.
Stopping Haaland with his country first would be proof to those that doubted him of the quality possessed and the skills that he can bring the club. Then it would be another stepping stone to finishing the season strongly at his new club.
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